Pre-storm Conditions

We went up Mt. Brown to get a handle on surface and upper snowpack conditions prior to the incoming storm.

• We did not see any signs of instability today other than some kick test results in small, hard wind slabs on upper elevation test slopes.
• We dug down to test the well-described 1/17 interface in several mid-elevation locations. We didn't get any repeatable propagating results in the upper snowpack.
• No signs of recent deep slab avalanches on the surrounding peaks.
• Mixed bag of surface conditions. The snow surface below about 5000' was moist, sticky, spring-like snow on all aspects. On steep, sunny, open slopes above 5000' there is a 1" thick sun crust. The surface in upper elevation, exposed terrain has been wind affected. Everywhere else there is between 4-6" of low density snow on top.
• The good news is that we did not find any surface hoar or facets at the surface.
• We dropped down the trail corridor below the recent wind slabs and skied steep terrain up to 45 degrees on concave slopes with only the poor quality snow to deal with.