Wind Slabs and Persistent Weak Layers on Tamarack

3 to 6 inches of new heavy snow rested on top of a softer less dense layer of snow. Some shooting cracks occurred as the more dense upper layer broke away from the less dense lower layer in both sheltered and wind loaded areas. On the wind loaded test slopes, 6 to 10-inch deep wind slabs consisting of this new more dense snow existed and the additional weight of a skier caused these to fail. Snowpit data on N facing slopes above 9000 ft also found that the persistent weak layer still exists near the base of the snowpack. Tests on this layer indicated that if it does break the resulting fractures could travel along the layer. PST (end) results with less than 50% cut lenghts occured at 39.31394, -119.915529 and at 39.313833, -119.905686 (see snowpit). 

Photos: One ski kick triggered part of this wind slab and a 20ft long shooting crack on a NE facing test slope at 9000ft. and the next kick triggered the rest of the wind slab.