Valhalla

6 cm ski penetration 34 degrees NNW aspect HS 170 cm - dry top to bottom Fist at top to one finger, to Ice crust at 80cm from surface (~1 cm thick) 4F @ 130 cm Facets and rounds 110 to 150 cm Ice crust at 150 cm 4F 150 cm to ground Extended column (30 x 90 cm) CT failed (Quality = 1) on 30 hard ( all the way along the 90 cm length); failure was in top 50 cm on planar surface 30 x 30 column ‘shovel pull’ failed on various layers within the top 50 cm

Variable HS dependent on aspect, elevation and drainage. Widespread 3-10mm SH overlies 10-15cm of F facets above the 151122 interface SH (10-20mm)/FC/MFcr up to 1950m in sheltered non solar areas. Above 2000m, 10-15 cm of F facets has been redistributed by variable winds, creating a 5cm 1F to P breakable wind board in exposed areas. In sheltered areas in the alpine 10-15cm of F facets overlie a 10cm of 1F facets. The upper and mid pack are progressively resistant above 1700m (F-1F). There is a 1cm K IFrc above 1700m ~30 above the ground with 4F facets below it. Sheltered areas in the alpine and at treeline skied quite well. Evidence of a Na cycle to size 1.5 in the recent HST.

Small pit dug on the up track in burnt trees produced results on the surface hoar layer just above the rain crust from dec 12-13 (-60cm) at CT 9, non planar with no sheering, as well on the surface hoar just below the most recent accumulation of snow which was down around 20cm. Snowpack seemed to be well developed below the Dec 12 rain crust with prominent rounding down around 90cm to the Dec 3 crust layer. We didnt dig much deeper than that. Fantastic powder snow the whole way down from 2300-1700m. Definitely some whumphing in the cut blocks on the way up and in some more open areas in the trees but it seems the snowpack is settling well otherwise. Maybe more heavier snow will speed this settlement up? One can only hope!

Looked for Feb 22 surface hoar but did not find it. Results were on a layer of small facets.

Pit on south sheltered open treed slope slope ~2100 m on the Sister (near Ruby Creek). 2 prominent layers at 75 and 110 cm. CTM 13 SP @ 110cm; ECT 13 SP @ 75cm. Rusch block test gave quite different result, with SP R3 @ 50cm on storm snow transition layer, and SP R5 @ 75 cm. Photo shows distinct separation of layers after Rusch block Test. Definitely suggested caution, where we skied conservative well supported slopes

Skied into the Grizzly Bowl down the North ridge of Naumalten Mountain. What a great time we had. Skied Middle entrance into the bowl down to 1940 m. Wind pressed soft sastrugi, top 10-15 was 1F- over the F+ density below. No movement from ski cuts or skier traffic, minimal sluffing. Upside-down pow with moderate-strong winds all night and general stormy conditions has us picking conservative, sheltered lines. Another lap up Grizzly and close to the NW entrance to Viking Zone, we avoided the large very planar, very wind-affected main Grizzly Bowl lines and skied a rolling but well supported line to skiers right. Final climb through Low Pass brought us to another lap down the Dragon. Wx: At or above freezing BTL and moist snow to 2100m even on polar aspects. Only dug today as we ascended the warm steep BTL crux on big open glade, STM dn 30 on moist facets above 3/18 MFcr, no sign of SH, long melted/squashed here likely. S-1 to S2 all day, finally broke about 1600 but it was obscured again at ridgetop until the sun popped back at the lodge at 1845. Winds moderate SW trending to W mostly, light NW at ridgetop late in the day. 5-10 HN getting loaded into fresh windslabs likely TL and above. No new avalanches observed, but minimal ALP obs and stepping back mindset kept us out of a lot of terrain.

Naumalten Lodge: Wx: Light winds overnight, High -5 during day, light westerlies all day. 3 cms on the HN24 and another 5 through the day kept the skiing buttery smooth. Dropped into the ping pong ball down Sunset to start the day in very obscured conditions. We love skiing into each other and face-planting wind scoops. Followed that up with 4 steep and sick laps of LookOut Trees North. Amazing steep pillow lines and cliffs down 2250-2000 meters, we racked four laps the met for a safety meeting and ground home. Wanted to punch for summit ridge and stopped to dig before crux pitch but group was keen to keep dropping in. One stoked skier amped on 'run of the year'. Thanks Valkyr Adventures. Heard on radio of Na sz 3 East aspect 1800 m below Cornice, from the crew at the LQ Outpost. Scrubbed to ground? Gnarly. 200 m wide 400 m long, wiped out entire path into the trees. TP 2195 m NW aspect slope 39 degrees. HS 225 CTM17 (BKN) dn 37 on graupel sz 3 and decomposed needle SH sz 2 (March 18th/19th interface) 4f above this layer and 1F below, felt very solid and right side up down the mid-pack.

Woke to clear skies, light winds over night, small sz 2-3 SH sparkling out there and more ski touring. Skinned up Naumalten Peak, went south when we wanted to go north (saw something shiny) wound up touring about on various aspects, S, SE, NW, E. Found wind pressed snow in ALP and some pockets of hard slab to avoid. One isolated Na windsl sz 1.5 noted below loaded E-facing cornice. Likely failed in height of recent storm. We stepped back from our big north facing objective due to committing, convex, shallow, rocky entrances, whumpfing along ridge, and lack of group motivation for the big slog out. Skied some cool steep E lines and found moist snow below 2200. Lots of pinwheeling and wet-loose with skier traffic on the 3/18th MFcr. Great skiing on short NW and NE pitches, 20 cm ski pen on fast supportive lines. Avoided any cornice exposure, the are pretty big. CLR in AM changed to scattered clouds and broken to OVC in PM back at the lodge. Light winds variable from SW to NW. TP 2341 m, E aspect, HS 195, 28 degrees - top of small open alpine slope. CTM11 (RP) dn 29 on decomposing needle-shaped SH sz 2 and df's. CTH 22 (BKN) dn 38 on facets below March 18th crust - getting very faceted above and below.