Krusty is tired, but still clowning around down there

Quick day off tour in central Glacier Park.

• We saw no signs of recent avalanches and got no whumpfing or shooting cracks from buried weak layers.
• We found a thin, fragile rime crust on the surface on all aspects and elevations, with low density snow below.
• The effects of recent south and southwest winds were obvious, but we had no results stomping on test slopes.
• At upper elevations the Krusty show is down about 2-3 feet, and we had many hand shears fail easily in well developed facets under the 12/2 rime crust or more facets under the 11/19 crust. These crusts were softer and thinner than the last time I saw them at this location.
• Given our easy hand shears, the poor snowpack structure above about 6,000', and uncertianty because of a lack of more information, we thought, "why expose ourselves to big, steep, rocky bowls - especially above terrain traps."
• Obstacles are now hidden just under the surface from 6,000' down to about 5,500'. Below that they're obvious.