Grouse Canyon

We toured into the Grouse Canyon area today. NE winds were decreasing as the day progressed with no drifting snow observed. E to ESE aspect terrain in the 8,000' to 8,300' elevation range that we traveled had undergone previous melt-freeze, with little to no melt occurring today. Small surface hoar (up to 4mm) was present on open northerly aspects nearly up to the tops of ridges and peaks in the area. HS in the area ranged to 30 cm to 80 cm on northerly aspects with ski supportable conditions in all areas traveled from 7,000' to 8,300'.

The most recent storm snow has very much settled and bonded as a slab above faceted PWLs in this area. It was difficult to trigger a collapsing failure of any of the faceted layers in between the many rain crusts in our snowpit. That said, the PST clearly showed likely propagation along one of these deeper weak layers if collapse could be initiated.