Went up for 2x laps on outer Siberia ridge back towards falling star. New Snow was setting up into a very soft storm slab, but was mostly unconsolidated. Some very light wind effect on top of the ridge. Day was cloudy with some light snow that turned into light freezing rain when we were skiing out around 4pm.
We probed 85-90cm ~10 meters off ridge top on the NW aspect, but snowpack depth was super variable throughout and completely unconsolidated. Sharks were lurking.
Ski penetration ~20cm, foot pen DEEP
Hasty put revealed 25cm of the new snow (fist hardness)
on top of the layer of surface hoar
followed by ~55cm of facety and weak snow (poorly bonded, fist)
with a small 2cm crust near the base.
Noticed dry sluffing and shedding in steep cliff and gully features as well as recent crowns below headwall cliffs and thin rocky areas.