Oh! New snow feels so different!

Afternoon tour to monitor the storm, assess avalanche problems, and check on Shed 7 weather station.

• In wind-sheltered areas, 4-10" of new, loose snow. Right side up.
• Gusty southwest winds drifting snow, mostly above about 6000 ft. 
• Storm snow felt slightly slabby in open areas. Dense drifts and small slabs 6-18" thick limited to lee sides of ridge crests above 6000 ft.
• Despite determined stomping and clomping, we got only short cracks in the drifted snow on test slopes >6000 ft. These ran < 2m from our skis, and extended down to the 1/19 MFcr or old, hard wind slabs. 
• We stuck to low-angled slopes and ridge crests above 6000 ft.
• Below that elevation, we skied slopes less than 35 degrees. We ski cut one mid-slope convexity (38-40*) and triggered a small soft slab (image, avalanche tab).
• Numerous hand pits did not reveal much surface hoar below the storm snow on easterly slopes. It was lying down the few spots we found it.
• Visibility was poor, though it didn't look like any natural avalanches had run in the east end of Stevens Canyon.