Various snowpack obs from Nat Geo

With heightened sense of alert, we chose to ski low angle terrain in the Granite Chief area today. Near the top of the peak we observed shooting cracks  (photo #2) and several small (D1) soft wind slab avalanches as a result of ski cuts, and then later in the tour the team heard two very obvious collapses of the snowpack (whumphs) on a North aspect, 8200', 20 degree slope. Otherwise, limited signs of instability were observed. 

The team did observe evidence of a large deep slab avalanche that had failed earlier in the storm cycle, as there was at least 1-2' of new snow on top of the bed surface/crown. This slide was seen from far away, so details are scarce. We estimate that the crown was at least 5' deep and roughly 500' wide (photo #1). This was on a NE aspect, 8,600' and over 35 degrees at the start zone.