Improving stability on Carpenter Ridge with a lingering Dec 11 PWL concern.

We went back to the site of the Dec 27 remotely triggered persistent slab avalanche on Carpenter Ridge for a post storm stability assessment. We dug a snowpit adjacent to both the Dec 27 avalanche and a snowpit from Dec 31. Snowpit tests indicated that the Dec 11 PWL is difficult to trigger in this location but still holds the required characteristics to propagate if triggered (per PST results). Otherwise the basal facet layers are increasing in moisture and becoming increasingly rounded. Weaknesses from within yesterday's storm snow as well as some surface hoar buried a few inches below the old/new snow interface appeared to be unreactive in this area today.

A new rain crust under about 1-2 inches of storm snow was apparent on all aspects below about 7,800'-8,000' and disappeared above 8,200'. Above 8,200' new snow amounts were deeper at around 9 inches.

Recently formed cornices along Carpenter Ridge were still fairly weak, collapsing with a few ski kicks. Dropping a bit smaller than refrigerator size cornice chunks on to yesterday's wind slabs produced no results in this area.