Storm Slabs on Grant Ridge

We went up Grant Ridge in the Middle Fork looking for in-storm, and persistent instabilities. We found both to be reactive with the new loading.

• Instabilities were widespread, especially where southwest winds had drifted the new snow. Shooting cracks and small avalanches triggered from test slopes were common on easterly aspects and middle and upper elevations. We got several, small, remotely triggered test slope results from over 100' away. Many of these results failed as the newer, denser, snow  above the low-density snow from earlier this week - about 6-10" deep. But, several of our more impressive results failed in facets above the 2/2 crust. These failures were between 18" and 2' deep. We triggered a storm slab on a small breakover on our descent.
• At lower elevations, where the trees are dense and conditions are still "low-tide" in this area, we saw mostly shallow sluffing.
• We stuck to low-angled, sheltered slopes far back from easterly aspects where we saw the most wind drifting.