Persistent slab woes

Traveled to the easten portion of our advisory area (Peak 6996, Glacier Park) to evaluate the persistent slab problem in an area with a thin snowpack.

• A moist snowpack, top to bottom, was found in our low elevation pit. Minimal persistent slab problem at this location.
• A freezing rain crust up to 1/2" thick was found from the trailhead at 4500' to approximately 6000'.
• Light to moderate winds with moderate to strong gusts were transporting snow and forming fresh thin wind slabs at mid and upper elevations.
• We investigated one slab avalanche from the 12/29-30 cycle on a mid elevation easterly aspect. This slab failed on a facet layer above the Thanksgiving crust.
• Our snowpit was at 6800' on a SE aspect adjacent to where we had dug a pit 2 weeks prior. A poor snowpack structure was found with a 30" 1F hard slab on top of a 4" facet layer which rested on the 12" thick Pencil hard Thanksgiving crust. Stability test results were ECTP 15 x 2. with the facets being the failure layer. 
• The snowpack structure and stability test results were nearly identical to what we observed 2 weeks ago.
• Ski conditions were decent despite the wind slab, freezing rain crust and overall "slabby" nature of the mid and upper elevation snowpack. Cracking in the surface snow was even observed in sheltered mid elevation locations.