Quick report
We took a quick ride into Buck Ridge, heading back on the road to 3rd Yellowmule where riders reported a number of human-triggered avalanches. Evidence of the slides was covered up but they make sense given the snowpack structure.
We dug on a northeast facing slope at 9300', funding a 115cm (3.5') deep snowpack. The upper 2' was all recent snow from a series of storms since Thanksgiving. The old snow was a rotten mix of sugary facets up to 4mm in size and melt-freeze crusts. It looked similar to what we are observing throughout the forecast area. Today, we got an ECTP15 at the top of the facet layer.
The upper snowpack was moist from above freezing temperatures and was resisting transport from strong southwest winds. We saw one small, natural wind slab avalanches below a cornice line.