Thin slab formation

We headed to Glacier Park to watch today's storm arrive and see if the downfall from the November wind storm has been covered with snow. 

• Fresh snow and breezy conditions produced blowing snow and wind slab development throughout the day. Slabs were generally thin, 3 - 6 inches, consistently cracked from the weight of our skis, but were very soft and fell apart. In other locations, older drifts were up to a foot thick and stiff but rarely cracked  
• Slopes facing the wind became scoured despite several inches of fresh snow that fell through the day.
• Hand pits were the tool of choice and revealed poor bonding of the fresh surface slab to the underlying old settled snow surface. However, this slab was too soft and thin to be a concern in many locations. 
• In areas sheltered from the wind, thin storm slabs developed. These were harmless due to being very soft and thin, 2 - 4 inches. 
• Obscured skies prevented views of the surrounding terrain and recent avalanche activity. 
• December snow has improved the access, but there are still plenty of obstacles to keep you on your toes.