Spent three days touring in the Ninko area. Submitting a couple takeaways.
- The 1/13 crust is very much alive and stout. It is degrading and easy to break while walking, skiing, skinning up to about 5500. Above that it gains strength and supports skiing and skinning. Our high point of 7800 ft was still sporting the 1/13 crust, either that or extreme wind board. Regardless we never got above dust on crust style skiing. Large cornice growth on all ridgelines.
- Just about everything that was steep enough to slide had done so naturally. All of the cliffy terrain under Masonry Peak had debris piles underneath. The south facing burnt tree terrain above the cabin had wet debris piles choking all the gullies (see pics). No crowns were noted up high.
- Roughly 6"- 8" of fresh low density snow fell while we were there with most of it on Weds night. No cracking or collapsing noted in the new snow, though by the end of the trip it had bonded together more. Thankfully it was enough to make the skiing pretty enjoyable. Low tide conditions below about 5500. We skied mellow slopes with limited time in avalanche terrain.
