Casca-Hoo-Cue

Season closer in the Middle Fork was one of the better winter days, despite the calendar saying April. We stuck to terrain below 7000 feet; above that elevation it was obvious recent winds had affected the surface snow and created some a Wind Slab avalanche hazard. We found little evidence of a slab avalanche hazard on the numerous short, steep pitches we skied. These were up to 40 degrees, with one short, steeper pitch.

• Above about 7000 feet, we saw evidence that recent winds had affected that near-surface snowpack: one small slab avalanche (avalanche details tab) and drifts in wave patterns across steep faces. 
• Wind effects were isolated between 5000 and 6500 feet: some soft drifts, some scoured areas, and some 2-6" thick slabs inder several inches of new snow. Some of the drifted broke cleanly in hand pits, but we didn't find any cracking nor were we able to trigger short, steep test slopes. The thickest, slabbiest feeling snow was just on the downhill side of a convexity at 5200 feet. 
• We triggered several small, harmless sluffs of new snow with turns on steep (>38*) slopes. These stayed in the surface snow and did not run fast. 
• Cold temps and early clouds kept greenhousing on northerly slopes minimal above about 5000 feet. On sunny slopes and low elevations slopes, the 2-4" of new snow was wet and produced rollerballs while skiing. These did not coalesce into wet slides because there wasn't enough snow. 
• Glide cracks an debris from glide avalanche exist on southeast-facing slopes.