DK's Canyon - Heavenly

I dug this pit in a location within the Heavenly ski area boundary referred to by some as "DK's Canyon". It receives little to no skier traffic and is representative of nearby backcountry terrain that can be accessed via Heavenly's boundary gates. It is Generally N to NE facing and is well protected by large trees. We typically do not see significant wind loading in this area. 

After selecting my pit location, I recorded a boot penetration of 65cm. This was intriguing, as other areas with similar snowpack had begun consolidating with boot penetrations recorded closer to 25cm. While excavating the pit, one layer interface was made obvious by quite a bit of organic debris (mostly pine needles). This layer can be traced to a major wind event in this area which was accompanied by zero precipitation. The snow surface was comprised mostly of near-surface facets. While surface hoar of 2-4mm was found in similar areas of the mountain, it was non-existent here, potentially due to the large and consistent tree canopy. 

I performed a compression test and recorded a score of CT16 @ 46cm Q1 (Sudden Planar). The compression test failed on an obviously faceted layer that was directly below the interface with the noted debris. I then performed an extended column test with no results (ECTX). 

Picture 1: A view of the snowpack in this area. Note the pine needles @ 46 cm.

Picture 2: Results of the CT. The block slid easily with minimal prying.

Picture 3: The bottom of the block from the CT. Note the pine needles and the interface.