Snowpack Observation on Chickadee Ridge

We toured Chickadee ridge today as a practice for snow observations and to find some low-angle turns. It was snowing at a rate of 1+ inch per hour for much of the tour increasing in intensity around 3 PM near the summit. The temperatures remained in the low 20s with a steady ~25-30 mph southwesterly wind. Occasional gusts were present but not often. The ridge was wind-scoured and wind-loaded test slopes gave way to cracking on east-southeast east and north-facing aspects. 

The top 12 cm of snow in protected areas was fresh from today with a noticeable layer separation from the previous storm's snow being much lighter having fallen in much colder/drier conditions. the storm snow from Friday and Saturday is noticeably harder in the hand hardness test, gradually increasing in hardness with depth. Below the previous storm's snow from Friday and Saturday, the was an observed sun crust which when cutting the column and filling the pit broke in a completely planar manner. The crystals on this layer appear to be in the process of rounding but still managed to break exposing an icy crust. Below this crust, the snow hardness was similar to above. At approximately 190cm a thick hard rain crust was found while shoveling.