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Day off tour in the Middle Fork.

• We noted a D2 that ran yesterday off of NE aspect of Penrose. This appeared to be a solar triggered sluff or wind slab that gouged out a few more wind slabs on its way down.
• Today we tested old wind slabs (soft and hard, up to 16” thick) from last weekend’s wind event using stability tests, stomping above old crowns, and undercutting and stomping on test slopes. We got non-propagating results and minor cracking.
• We felt comfortable skiing steep terrain one at a time and saw no signs of instability today. We stayed away from very steep and unsupported wind-loaded features in consequential terrain.
• Small grained near surface facets are developing in areas where the snow is soft and protected from wind, generally mid and low elevation shaded aspects. High northerlies are wind hardened or faceting sastrugi. Southerlies are sun crusts. No surface hoar observed here.