Dry loose slides off of steeper slopes that had been covered up by wind blown snow from today.
Observation: Portage / Placer
Location: Placer to Spencer Glacier
Got out for the Placer opening. Stuck to the flats and made our way back to the toe of Spencer Glacier. Still lots of tracked powder but there are decent trails punched in on the flats. Some areas of the river are beginning to open back up and there is plenty of overflow present. Lots of alders still just below the surface.
Observer Comments
Weather
Very cold temps throughout the area, especially in lower areas. Likely around or below 0F. Significant flagging from peaks with lot of snow being transported by the wind. In lower areas near the highway there was some minor wind effect.
Snow surface
Areas near the highway were showing some minor wind effect but the snow was still soft and not hardening at all. Most areas were the soft undisturbed ~2 feet of recent storm snow.
Snowpack
~2 feet of new snow over a pretty stout wind/ice crust. If you do get a ski through the crust its a quick way to get stuck. Below the crust is sugary facets to the ground.
Strong winds blowing significant snow off of the peaks
Bottomless snow in open fields, Fantastic riding