Stable Snow, N Facing Echo Summit Area

We dug a pit approximately 3' deep at approximately 8,000' on a N facing slope.  Some signs of wet slab formation were noted during our climb from 6500' but shovel hits compressed the snow column in our pit without any noted slab activity or crack propagation.  A change (increase) in snowpack density below the new snow was noted on protected or steeper aspects but in more open ares a wet snowpack easily penetratable throughout its entire depth with a ski pole was noted.  Conditions were stable even on steep slopes during our evening descent.