None.
Observation: Hatcher Pass
Location: April Bowl
Snowmachined up to Hatcher Pass, skinned up Bennett’s Ridge, skied several laps in April Bowl. The W to N aspects of Peak 4068, S to SE aspects of Hatch Peak, S to SE aspects of Bullion Mountain, and the bowl S of Willow Creek looked quite wind affected and stripped down to rocks along windward ridgelines and cross loaded gullies. Many leeward areas off Hatch Peak looked thin, with plenty of rocks sticking out. It is still difficult to not hit at least one rock daily skiing any aspect in Hatcher Pass.
Observer Comments
Weather
Negative temperatures, light winds at ridgetops, overcast transitioning to few clouds in the sky, freezing fog until 1 pm.
Snow surface
1/2" new snow. Slide for life, P to K hard snow on many NW aspects while skinning along ridgelines. 2" wind crust along NW aspects on the Lake Run off Hatch Peak. Faceting settled powder sheltered leeward aspects such as April Bowl. S to SE aspects wind affected with sastrugi in places.
Snowpack
Hand pit on NNE aspect near top of April Bowl: faceting settled powder over 1' wind slab over near surface facets over 8" wind slab over facets/melt freeze crust/basal facets. The wind slab was P to K hard.
Wind affected W to N aspects of Peak 4068
Looking down slope off SE aspect of Hatch Peak
Many rocks exposed on NNE aspect of April Bowl. Even in leeward areas in April Bowl, it is still difficult to not hit a rock lurking right under the snow surface.
Looking off Hatch Peak towards the 7 Sacred Chutes. Southerly aspects look thin and rocky.
Wind affected snow of Bullion Mountain
Wind affected snow looking off Hatch Peak towards the Southern bowls in Willow Creek. Leeward NW aspects along the ridgeline to Hatch Peak still looked thin with many rocks visible.