Early season snow structure

I visited the southern Whitefish Range to collect baseline snowpack observations following a two-week dry spell. 

• Cold, dry weather is weakening snow near the surface, in the middle of the pack, and layers near the ground. Faceting occurs in soft snow near the top and bottom of the pack, with slabs throughout the pack decomposing.
• Shifting winds left slabs of drifted snow on all aspects above 6400 feet on slopes open to the wind. These slabs are old, generally supportable to skis, and stubborn to triggering. However, they are all underlain by weak cohesionless snow, which may prove problematic when substantial snowfall returns.
• The surface consists of weak, cohesionless snow in areas sheltered from the wind. On steep slopes greater than 40 degrees, I could trigger small loose dry sluffs.
• Riding conditions remain relatively good despite the lack of recent snow.