Silver Valley E/W Aspects

The snowpack shows large spacial variabilty both between aspects and sun/shade areas. The recent rain has failed to create a cohesive layer, but rather has been funneled into two 10 cm deep wet/melt/faceting layers around 50-60cm under the surface on E facing aspects and 20-40 cm under on W aspects. The weak layers were reactive to compression failure, and selective propagation failure depending on the area dug. West facing aspects were significently more reactive to propagation than East facing aspects. While the snowpack is structurally unsound, there was no indication that it would slide on the bed surfaces (faceting melt/freeze, melt forms and ice). However, due to the wet snow issues, this may be due to the wet snow's unreactivity to testing rather than a true gague of stability. Pits were dug at treeline on both E and W aspects from angles of 24-42 degrees. W aspect snowpack (in full sunlight) was significently more reactive, leading to a CT1 20cm deep and an ECTP 30 a half meter deep. 

No instability was observed while skinning/skiing 26-30 degree N/S aspects. 

Warm temeratures today may lead to further instability until colder temperatures gradually stabilize the snowpack.