Out seeking some powder at Marion Lake after the storm. We noticed a widespread storm slab cycle in mid and upper elevations that looked to have broken 4-10" on mid-storm layers. We also observed a few deeper natural slab avalanches in wind-exposed aprons and on steeper rocky slopes (Essex Mountain's N chutes & 7798's E face). During our ascent of point 7180, we saw countless small natural storm slab fractures and arrests left over from yesterday's storm cycle... leaving interesting ripples on the snow surface of nearly any slope >35 degrees. We noticed freshly formed wind slabs just under the storm snow on N aspects immediately off the ridgetop. No shooting cracks or collapses noted today and the sunshine did no seem to be changing the snow surface at all (thank you brisk temperatures).
We dug a pit at 6600' on a 30 degree SE slope that was 185cm deep:
Our party enjoyed well-protected powder on the southern aspect above the lake on slopes generally less than 35 degrees... and a whole bunch of lovely sunshine!
