Rowe Shoulder

Pit day! We dug on Rowe shoulder at 2010 m where the Rowe bowl cornice ends, adjacent to a size 2 slide 1m deep that failed on the Feb 3 melt-freeze crust. Unfortunately, we had to dig on a different aspect and got no test results on that layer. We got progressive collapse results on a variable depth (0.5-5cm) graupel layer down 15cm, and a deep tap test targeting the Feb 3 layer failed on facets and depth hoar near the base of the snowpack. The old slide had ~30cm of soft wind-blown snow on the bed surface.

In this location, stubborn wind slab to 20cm deep sits on top of a graupel layer. The snowpack below this is rounding above a thin layer of facets atop the Feb 3 crust. Then facets, layered melt freeze crusts, and some depth hoar. Moderate compression test results (progressive collapse) down 15 on a variable depth graupel layer. A deep tap test targeting the Feb 3 melt-freeze crust failed in the hard range on facets and depth hoar just above the ground between two of the early season melt-freeze crusts.