Stairstep

Today felt like spring skiing: it was a no-glove, baselayer/sunhoody on north facing terrain type of day. The type of day where you crack your apres beverage of choice and can linger in your ski boots in the parking lot. The kind of day where the snowpack shows moisture on northerly aspects. 

But don't fret. While it has not snowed in a month, the period of cold and clear faceting has kept us in the game; there is still decent skiing on shady aspects, even at mid elevations. 

Saw some old loose wet debris on the southerly aspect of the drainage north of Staristerp (see photo). No other signs of instability observed. ECTX in our snowpit.

At lower elevations just above the Little Su, we felt a supportable melt freeze crust. Ski quality was remarkably good for it not having snowed in a month on northerly terrain. 

Our snowpit was more of the same we have been seeing: rounding facets in the upper snowpack and moist depth hoar at the bottom. We did observe some intact facet/rain crust/facets 65cm down which was unreactive. Facets in the  snowpack were moist. ECTX at 2,999' on a NW aspect 23* slope on Stairstep with a height of snow of 134cm .