Progressively higher snowpack tests

We rode up Forestdale Creek towards the top of the un-named peak at 9016ft, and also around Polaris Bowl and Lost Lakes. I performed two Extended Column Tests at three locations as wind slab became more pronounced.

At 8040ft on a NE aspect, I could find buried surface hoar with shovel tilts, but snow above was unconsolidated and two ECTs did not propagate. At 8700ft on a NE aspect the wind slab was dense enough to make riding less enjoyable, and I could not find surface hoar and ECTs did not propagate. From there we dropped into the meadow below Polaris Bowl and saw a recent avalanche that we did not see on Thursday. There were tracks near it so I don't know if it was triggered by the riders, or from natural cornice fall. We rode up to Lost Lakes which was a similar elevation and aspect to the start zone of the avalanche. At 8800ft on a NE aspect the wind slab was so dense that it was not easy to sidehill across. At this location, both ECTs did propagate but not on surface hoar - just a thin layer of lower density rimed precip in between two layers of 1 finger hard wind packed snow.

We also experienced warm temps and strong sunshine, with the expected roller balls starting from sunny rocks on S and W aspects. Winds were calm today.