Gorge-ish

Fun day near the Gorge. We skinned to ridge top with the aim of skiing a steep alpine line. We decided to dig a pit first on a SE aspect at around 2,100m. The snow was about a metre deep where we dug down We got a moderate result in an extended column test down about 30-40 cm, but it didn't propagate. A compression test showed similar resistant results. The real reason we turned back from the line was the 20 cm layer of sugary facets at the bottom of the snowpack. Instead, we stuck to some mellow tree lines. For our second lap, we aimed for a run that was basking in the sun. It was warmer than expected and we turned back because the snow was getting pretty moist. When the sun went away, a thin crust formed on the snow surface, but it didn't impact the ski quality too much.