Limited wind effect on Tamarack Peak

Calm wind and light snow showers during the day at Tamarack Peak today. We looked for but could not find significant evidence of wind slabs in this area today.

From the parking area up to the summit of Tamarack Peak we dug many quick mitt-pits and two test pits to look for how much snow had fallen during the storm yesterday and overnight and to look for any signs of a slab within this new snow. We observed 20-35 cm of new F-4F hard snow over a thin crust in most locations. This new snow depth was consistent even along the ridgetops where typically the winds scour snow (Photo 1). A test pit at the noted Lat-Long near the ridgetop of Houglass Bowl (NNW aspect 9800') showed right side up new snow with little sign of wind effect. We observed a thin 1-2 cm 1F crust at the base of the new snow with what apperar to be 4F hard facets below it (Photo 2), but tests targeting the interface between the old and new snow and the faceted layer do not indicate instability (CT25RP and ECTN19 on this layer) (Photo 3). A test pit at 9200' on a NNE aspect had similar results. 

Low clouds obscured our vision for most of the day, but we were not able to observe any avalanches, nor did we see or experience any cracking or collapses within the snow.