AST survival skiing

Strong inversions both mornings led to miserable trailhead temperatures but much warmer temps as we gained elevation. Widespread surface hoar on a slowly-disentegrating crust, mixed with areas of impenetrable wind slab led to challenging travel conditions. Most snowpack tests in wind loaded areas showed a strong upper 1m, but one set of compression tests yielded sudden collapses below the early December crust. Conditions were otherwise very stable, and ski conditions were awful.