Breccia

Warm temperatures and mostly clear skies. Observed small wet loose avalanches confined to steep southerly slopes around rock features. Found melt freeze crusts that developed yesterday on southerlies. Saw signs of wind affect from northerly winds last week, all wind drifted slabs in my travels were hard, unreactive and appeared glued on. Found large surface hoar growing in isolated terrain sheltered from the wind. No recent avalanches or signs of instability beside the isolated wet loose avalanches. Snow surfaces warming on most aspects due to warm ambient air temperatures. 

Dug two snowpits in areas with differing characteristics. The first was at 9400' on a W aspect in sheltered, shaded terrain. HS: 112cm ECTP25 failing on dry basal facets (1-2mm) buried 80cm. The second was at 10,500 on an E aspect in terrain open and exposed to the wind. HS: 133cm ECTX (no propagation or unstable test results). Interestingly the shallower pit produced unstable test results. The overlying slab also likely contributed as the deeper snowpit had a harder wind packed slab above the weak basal facets. Shaded vs unshaded slopes likely contributed to differences as well.