Slabby conditions on Grant Ridge

Went for a short day off tour along Grant Ridge.

• The snowpack has gained strength since our recent storm. Instabilities were confined to cracking underfoot, 2 audible failures (one of which was loud and rumbling), and small sections of cornice reactive to ski stomping. 
• There was evidence of recent cornice failures at both mid and upper elevations on the leeward side of Grant Ridge. At upper elevations, one of these resulted in a D2 wind slab whose fracture line was completely blown in by wind transport.
• Evidence of recent wind transport was impressive including the leeward side of a treed ridge at middle elevations.
• Unfortunately, the recent snow and wind have formed an upside-down snowpack at all elevations. This made for somewhat punchy ski conditions.
• The snowpack below 5500' only consisted of the several inches of new snow that this area received from our last storm.  Calling the low elevation snowpack thin is being generous.