Blue-bird, calm winds, and variable conditions

Surface conditions on all wind-exposed slopes was a mixture of a stiff wind-slab or a thin wind-skin, while in wind-sheltered terrain we found 6-10" of low density snow. Widespread surface faceting was observed on top of wind-stiffened snow primarily on shady aspects (northwest to northeast), while not as prominent on sunny aspects with similar wind-effect. Low density snow on shady aspects (northwest to northeast) in wind-sheltered terrain was becoming unconsolidated with minor sluffing noted in steeper terrain, but not running long distances. Snow surface on sunny, wind-sheltered slopes was more consolidated than shady aspects, but cold temperatures didn't contribute to warming instabilities on those slopes. 3400'-6000' consisted of a breakable rain crust below low density snow. From 6000'-6200', rain crust was thin and hardly noticeable below low density snow and nonexistent above 6200'. We observed cracking below our skis in recently formed wind-slabs on primarily northwest through northeast aspects. Using small test slopes to evaluate sensitivity of wind slabs did not produce propagating cracks outwards.