Deep day in the Shames backcountry

A deep (up to 50cm of dry powder up high and north of Shames) day with good cold snow, a lot of sun and a few clouds, and amazing skiing. We saw a size 2.5/3 rip of from a cornice failure (?) close to Pearly Gate. I heard whumpfing while opening the skintrack on sub-alpine knobs, and experienced sluffing while skiing steep freshly snow-filled features. Southwest faces looked loaded, crossloaded and ready to crack. South and slightly southwest snow have seen a thin suncrust by the afternoon.