Got out for a tour in the Middle Fork today near Fielding/Coal Creek. We found more new snow than we expected, with roughly 2-3 inches of the light fluffy variety at the trailhead. Calm to light winds gave way to moderate SW winds at ridgeline, with a measured 10+ cm of new snow in sheltered areas above 5800'. We noted blowing snow being transported to eastern and northeastern aspects at the summit and on neighboring peaks and ridgelines. We found old wind slabs near ridgeline to be difficult to release.
We dug a pit at 6900' on a NE aspect below ridgeline. With a 235 cm snowpack depth and desire to get to skiing, we decided to forgo digging to the basal layer to test the deep persistent slab problem, only digging 110 cm down into the snowpack. We noted 20 cm of new snow on top of the recent 4F/1F hard crust at this leeward location. We found a layer of rounded facets about 55 cm down, just above a thick pencil-hard crust. Below that crust, about 100 cm down, we noted a second faceted weak layer. We recorded a CTE-7 PC with the new snow at 221 cm, continued, and recorded a CTH-28 SC at 140 cm at the second faceted weak layer.
We enjoyed mostly sunny skies with great visibility, and surprisingly fresh turns in sheltered terrain.
