Strong Winds at Echo Lake

Chilly touring in the Echo Lake area this morning. The north winds were strong and transporting a ton of snow. Check the video for visuals. After investigating the lower sections of the windy ridge leading up to Flagpole, I retreated to below treeline terrain on a north facing slope above Echo Lake (near the pin drop). In a clearing I dug a pit and performed several tests. Winds seemed to decrease closer to my departure from the area around noon. 

Photo 1: A small natural wind slab on a south facing feature.

Photo 2: One ECTN and then multiple ECTPs in the moderate range where the fresh snow was slightly deeper. These all failed on the weak snow on top of the crust. 

Photo 3: Looking at the still stout crust. The weak snow above was the active weak layer in these tests. 

Photo 4: Looking at the crust and weak layers with the new snow above. 

Photo 5: PST 18/100 END targeting the weak snow just above the crust.