Middle Middle

Day off ski taking advantage of snow conditions at mid-elevations in the middle fork.

• Thin, spongy-feeling slabs of new and drifted snow at low and mid elevations. Some sitting on a recent crust. We tested these w skintracks across and up steep terrain and turns down steep terrain, both open and treed. All were unreactive where we traveled. 
• Recent winds have had their way with the snow on exposed, mid elevation terrain, leaving some exposed terrain features scoured.
• Lots of whale-like drifts on mid-elevation ridges from recent westerly winds, along with hard, overhanging cornices, We steered clear of these. 
• The recent snow sluffed on steep pitches in wind sheltered terrain, though it ran on the snow surface.
• From a distacne we saw what looked like recent debris in a large, east-facing chute at upper elevations above Rescue Creek. Other parties were closer and might have had a better view. 

We avoided steep start zones in leeward slopes, choosing instead to sneak in from the side.