Smooth hardpack at Tragedy Springs

With so many Carson Spur closures and very limited parking at Tragedy Springs due to snow storage issues, today was our first good opportunity of the season to ride this area. We started at noon, hoping for some afternoon softening of the snow surface, but we struck out and gave up a few hours later. Everywhere we traveled today, there was a several-inches-thick and very strong crust. We struggled to find places with a weak enough crust to chainsaw our tracks and cool the snowmobiles. There was previous natural avalanche activity, and large cornices beginning to sag and crack, but no signs of instability were observed today. Looking ahead, there was a widespread layer of graupel above the crust that will be worth monitoring as new storms approach.