A look at Skook

Skookaleel Ridge, to assess extent of wind drifting and sun.

• Despite recent/older hard drifts and fantasticlly-shaped cornices near ridges, I found only a few patches of freshly drifted snow thick enough to resemble a slab.
• Large surface hoar (10 mm+) formed overnight on some shaded slopes, but is laying down
• Snow surface dry to moist on steep slopes in direct sun. Did not sluff when ski cut on steep slope at 5900 feet mid afternoon. A few rollerballs worthy of the name. 
• Most recent snow soft, not bonded to old snow surface. Recent snow consilidating into 4F-hard slab about 22 inches thick.
• I did not find a crust or buried surface hoar from Valentines Day or thereabouts in a profile at 6500 ft on a south-southwest facing slope.
• I did find a hard crust buried about 4 feet deep with a very thin layer of facets immediately above it. This interface propagated with medium force in a modified extended column test.