South of Teton Pass

Signs of recent wind loading from a west wind were evident with large drifts in the usual windy spots along the ridge. Southerly wind was moving some snow this afternoon but I only observed some thin wind skin here and there. The alpine was likely to have more developed wind slabs given the wind speeds and available snow for transport. Small rimed snow was falling at 2 pm with 20-25cm of powder above stiffer settled snow below on shaded aspects, crusts on sunnier aspects.  I dug a pit near a location with known BSH where we dug on Feb 17th which propagated a crack easily (PST 35/100). 

Tomorrow, I expect that new wind slabs will be reactive and may be large enough to cause problems. Wind is expected to pick up this week and seems to have gone to work already. There is quite a bit of snow available for loading due to recent low desnity snow and relatively calm winds.

The weak snow in the January drought layer is rounding and growing stronger with the slab above growing thicker and also stronger and harder to trigger The buried surface hoar remains a concern on northerly aspect above about 8,000'. Anywhere that the snowpack is generally thinner and the BSH and January facet are closer to the surface is a concern. 

As has been mentioned, cornices have grown large this season and have triggered a number of avalanches, some large. Worth keeping those in mind going forward.

Well preserved buried surface hoar 75cm down. PST 35/100. Very soft snow and some grauple beneath the recent 20-35cm new snow which might be a weak interface for new wind slabs as wind ramps up tomorrow.