After finishing an urban avalanche search and rescue practice session today at Hilda Meadows, we did a quick check with the Eaglecrest ski patrol and some informal field tests to evaluate the snow conditions.

The instability is still limited to near surface layers that are virtually identical within and outside of the ski area, so ski area sampling represents backcountry conditions well this weekend. As we get a thicker snowpack on top of the major melt freeze layers from last month, in-area conditions will be less representative.

The patrol did get a fair number of slab releases after last night's strong, gusty, and variable mostly SE winds, but not as many slides or as large as Thursday's. The slabs were typically in the relatively thin 15 cm thickness range, and less sensitive despite the lower temperatures, drier snow, and strong winds.

Our tests showed some sensitivity remaining, mostly in the shallow recent windload layers. Tap compression test values were in the 11 tap moderate range on the main weak layer, and slab test values were a moderate 3 on the principal slab (over half the undermined area, not very clean or fast). Parallel track tests produced no results, nor did ski cuts on 50°+ slopes. The bond to the melt freeze from last week is now quite strong, difficult to pull loose even when dug out and stressed directly by hand.

There are plenty of windloaded areas from last night. Some are likely to be more sensitive than the limited ones we tested. The NWS forecast for snow, strong NE winds, and dropping temperatures indicates that backcountry travelers should still be wary.

Snow conditions are good, with dense new powder favoring snowboards, wide skis, and snowmachines. Watch for developing instability with new and windloaded snow, and the next thaw.