Sun and powder

• Toured up the SE ridge of Snowslip Mtn and above the Burnout, Shed 4D, and Shed 5 avalanche paths to our high point at 6400 feet at the Shed 7 weather station.
• Descended the Shed 5 path. 

Objectives were to:

• Perform welfare checks on the Shed 4 and Shed 7 weather stations.
• Observe new snowfall totals and wind-loading from the past few days and look for any recent avalanche activity.
• Conduct a full snowpit profile in the Shed 5 avalanche path.

• A handful of very small (D1) loose dry sluffs on steep sun-exposed slopes.
• Small cornice fall in the Shed 7 West path.
• No slab avalanche activity observed.
• No wind-loading occurring throughout the day but evidence of older wind slabs near ridgelines. Only some minor cracking in these with ski cuts.
• 3-5 inches of new snow over the past 24 hours.
• The 2/1 crust is now buried about 12 inches deep on the Canyon floor, about 20 inches deep at 5000 feet, and 2-4 feet deep above 6000 feet.
• No collapsing or audible failures observed.
• Full profile conducted in the upper starting zone of Shed 5, 5800 feet, E aspect, 37° slope. Total snowpack depth at profile location was 79” (pit profile below). 
• Stability tests were limited to one Extended Column Test. Non-propagating results in the upper 20 inches. No fractures on the 2/1 crust and buried 30 inches down at the pit location.
• Intense, but very brief snow showers at times (S2-S5) alternating with longer periods of broken skies and sunshine. Only a trace to 1 inch of new snowfall over the day.
• Calm or sometimes light SW winds at all elevations.
• Air temperatures in the mid to high-20s (0F) throughout the day.