Quick report
3rd party into the Bowl Christmas Eve and first to head toward Left Gully around 9:45 am. Less than 6” loose dry snow on a hard wet crust in the open below Chute with decent spatial variability, some areas with completely unconsolidated dry snow and short runs with more cohesion. Once in Left Gully, found roughly 6” in the gut, less wind effect than lower down in the Bowl. Light light snow on a hard crust, mostly front pointing in crampons. Once at the narrow choke below the upper fan, snow increased to 18” deep with more cohesion. No cracking but snow broke off in more cohesive blocks of soft snow. Progressed slowly into upper fan assuming we’d find evidence of a wind slab and reason to turn around, but snow was entirely unconsolidated like in the main run, and 12” deep. Turned around just below the lip, and wind began to turn on just as we got skis on. One in our party started their run farther skiers left and triggered a very small wind slab, and another farther down just above the split to the left that goes under Chute when pulling off the main run to stop. Otherwise safe and deep skiing down to the bowl and occasionally hitting the hard crust below. Lots of loose dry snow that will be available for transport for any incoming wind. Another 20 minutes in the upper fan and we imagine the wind slab would have been a legitimate hazard. Beautiful window up there!