Quick report
No signs of instability
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
Strong winds whipping new snow around. Cloudy skies spitting snow until about 1:30 when the sun came out.
Snowpack
Mostly very hard icy snow from winds and warm-ish temps (even though it's been warm in the valleys, clear skies at night allow the snow to become bitter cold).
Hard to say how much new snow due to winds whipping the new snow around - that was the only red flag. However wind-deposited snow was only a few inches deep and seemed well bonded to old hard snow underneath. In fact, we aimed for shallow wind drifts for creamy turns.
Overall minimal snow which is very hard. That hardness has limited weakening and facing of the fledgling snowpack, but there are pockets of faceted snow where it wasn't packed hard by winds. (See photo of snow pit with one spot of sugary facets).
No avalanche concerns for now. Main hazards are all the normal ones of early season - thin slow, rocks, stumps, etc.