Washington Gulch/Elkton

The slab from the recent storm cycle is around 3 feet thick in this area and up to 1 finger hard in wind-sheltered areas.  The stiffness of the slab is limiting the signs of instability, but the slab/weak layer hovers near failure.  Fresh natural avalanches today help confirm that the balance is near the tipping point.  We avoided traveling on any steep terrain of consequence and enjoyed a few low-angle turns and ripping around on snowmobiles.

While snowmobiling on small, steep sunny terrain features, I didn't notice any signs of instability. While skinning, we experienced a few small localized collapses and one large rumbling collapse. While skiing above a steep, east start zone, I watched cracks shoot across the slope, but it didn't avalanche. I stomped and jumped in numerous places without producing a collapse. Signs of instability in snow-favored portions of the forecast area appear to be sporadic and a poor measure of the hazard; fresh natural avalanches today suggest the feedback is misleading.

I dug two test profiles today near treeline.  A profile on a northeast slope produced moderate propagating test results beneath a 90cm slab above the February facet layer.  A second profile on a drifted southeast feature produced moderate propagating test results below a crust/facet structure.

The snow surface became slightly moist on southerly features below about 11,000 feet but stayed dry at near treeline elevations.  As temperatures climb tomorrow, I suspect loose avalanches will become a problem and could pry out slabs as they descend.