Older fracture lines where the most striking snow feature. Big fracture lines, both natural and explosive controlled, where present high up on many N-W aspects. One slide had pulled a N aspect slope above the access to the E col. Our group agreed we had never seen that slide before.
To temper these older avalanche obs were tracks from skiers who where getting into steep rocky terrain and not pulling slides.
A quick pit on a steep E facing slope, at 2200m above the Spearhead Gl, (40m below ridge line) showed 3m of snow depth. The probe slid quite easily through the pack. F density storm snow composed the upper 45 cm and showed easy and moderate compression tests.
Below this is 4f density snow that transitioned to 1f density at about 70cm - here we found a 5mm Surface Hoar layer. The SH gave M/H test results that sometimes fractured irregularily.
The Spearhead Gl had fairly good crevasse coverage. I did not actually probe roof depths and things did look a little saggy, but compared to the last few years in mid December there are much fewer wide open slots. The gapper below Don't Swill is gone.
>From what I saw my feeling is the Avalanche Hazard in the Alpine is Moderate. But a tempered Moderate- with all the big activity not so long ago (and this being still early season) I am not stepping into steep big features.
The ski quality is good to very good. Some wind effect near ridge top.
Dave Sarkany
Ski Guide
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