Green Butte Ridge

We found plenty of instabilities within recent, wind-drifted snow. Nearly every steep terrain feature we stomped on or walked across along the leeward (west) side of Green Butte Ridge produced cracking - a couple of small pockets released downslope. These slabs were about a foot deep and failed on a mid-storm density change. 

The new snow was moist at lower elevations but became drier as we gained elevation. Above 8,300 feet, snow surfaces were heavily wind-textured. Obscured skies limited visibility into the Old Ski Bowl and Avalanche Gulch. 

Shooting cracks on steep, wind-loaded features near and below treeline on Green Butte Ridge. Two small pockets of wind slab released about a foot deep on density changes within the new snow.