Hemispheres

In the Baker backcountry there wasn't any new wind transport or wind slab development, and there didn't appear to be any new slab avalanche activity. A Forest Service Ranger did witness one small wet loose avalanche initiating near rocks and trees on the lower east flanks of Mt Herman. 

The recent atmospheric river layer just doesn't appear to have had a solid refreeze where we traveled. It's only very superficial, although the snowpack is draining and layers are only moist, not wet. The new snow on top appeared to be bonded fairly well to the underlying melt-freeze layer, and was heavy even on steep north-facing terrain. 

One very large natural slab avalanche and one new small wet loose avalanche- see avalanches.

At 5000-5500ft there was 3-12" of snow over the atmospheric river melt forms layer, depending on wind transport. The top of the new atmospheric river layer has hardly transitioned to a crust. Everywhere I traveled I could easily break through it with my feet, although it was supportable on skis. In areas with only a couple inches of snow on top, there was a slightly harder freeze, whereas in locations with 8-12 inches of snow on top, the new layer was insulating the crust and I could hardly even call it a crust. 

I dug a pit at the top of Hemishpheres, and I didn't find any weak layers of concern and the pit became progressively harder the further down I dug. I tried to identify any weaknesses near the lower crusts to see if there was any obvious layer that the Hourglass avalanche slid on, but didn't get any obvious failures.