Silverdaisy

Spent 2 nights camping near Silverdaisy at 1550m. Snowpack was hard crust with 5cm of new wet snow, with a thin layer of facets/hoar in between. Hand tests as we skinned showed strong slab formation in the new snow, and able to glide over the crust with ease. About 1800m the crust started to break down a little, and was easily dug through with a hand. Below the crust was 5-10cm of sugar crystals. Dug a pit on a NE aspect at 1900m. 220cm HS. Multiple weak layers and crusts in the top 20cms. Likely all wind transport near ridgeline? 100cm - 160cm from the ground was very strong dense snow. 85cm - 100cm from the ground was a large layer of sugary crystals snow with very little cohesion. Did not dig to the ground. Was unable to produce any results at all on a column test. on any layer, even jumping full body weight on the top of the pit. Observation: there has been a large natural avalanche cycle about 1600m on all aspects since the last snowfall. Large bowls running half or more of their slide paths. Seemed to be predominantly wet loose, but some wind slabs had also given way mid slope. Was unable to inspect closely to know where they failed. Basically everything in the area that is likely to slide, did. Friday night received 4-5 hours of light rain/snow. Opted to return to car on waking up. Above 1600m received another 15cm of very wet snow. FL at 13:00 was at 1200m and it was snowing. A fully saturated snowpack below 1300m had also produced glide avalanches to the ground in cut blocks and grassy slopes.

Spent a couple nights camping near Silverdaisy. Thursday conditions above 1500m: 5cm of wet new snow on top of a small layer of hoar on top of 5cm hard crust. Crust was hard and neither boot nor ski penetrated below 1800m, above 1800 crust was more breakable. Dug a pit at 1900m. 220cm snow depth. Multiple layers of crust and facet in the top 20cms of the snow pack. Thick and well bonded snow from 100cm-160cm above the ground. Below 100cm was a 15cm layer of very sugary unconsolidated snow. Observations: there has been a huge cycle of wet loose avalanches on all aspects, especially under cliff bands from 1550m to the summits. Some slides were quite large, running 1/2 or more of their full slide paths. Especially in sheltered terrain and north facing bowls and chutes. Observed some natural wind slabs that had let go mid slope. Between 1100m and 1350m elevation we also observed numerous glide avalanches that happened on a fully saturated snow pack to the ground. Weather: received light rain for 4/5 hours overnight on Thursday night at 1550m. Snow line was about 1800m - it was snowing starting around 1:00 on Friday all the way down to about 1200m. Got to car at 2:30 and still getting light precipitation but unsure if the FL had rose since the afternoon.