Quick report
Happy New Year Powder People
Afternoon lap with clear skies and sunshine. Warm temperatures on slope while the inversion held in valley. Cold snow on N aspects, baked on SE aspects, warm not baked on E aspects. Roller ball activity, but no significant wet loose.
Strong diurnal temperature fluctations have helped recent snow bond well to the Boxing day (12/26) crust. Many resistant hand shear tests through all elevations on SE, E, NE aspects during my travel. 0-40cm of recent snow lies above the rain crust up to ~9,000.
Triggered one small D1 avalanche (SS-ARc-R1-D1-O) while cutting above a steep 40 degree slope at 7900' N aspect. Slightly wind loaded with 20 cm (8") deep of dry snow that failed on the Boxing Day crust 30-40 feet cross-slope. Otherwise no other signs of instability.
Saw numerous old avalanches from 12/27-28 cycle. Strong winds have already mostly covered the crowns. Observed apine variable conditions worked over by recent winds in upper elevations.