Date of Observation: 12/20/2016
Name: SB
Aspect: North East
Elevation: 9400 – 10800
Avalanches: No new avalanches observed or signs of instability during tour.
Weather: Clear, Calm
2F @ TH @ ~1100, w/ noticeable inversion
Snowpack: Ski Pen: 15 – 20cm throughout tour
Test Pit on 28* Slope on NE facing slope @ 10800′ showed following:
HS 120cm. 40cm of 4F facets @ ground, below 20cm of P hard rounds with preserved surface facets on top from early Dec cold/dry spell. 60 cm of progressively stronger rounds / DFs (1F to F) makes up the top.
ECTP14 down ~40cm within recent storm layer. No weak layers observed at this interface, just slight difference in hardness. Did not observe any other instabilities in this layer during tour.
Of more interest were the deeper weak layer interfaces (early Dec SF and DH). Failures here could be day-wreckers. After removing the top 40cm, we could not get a result after 10 very firm shoulder-level whacks.