Blacksmith trees

Did a few laps in the trees around Blacksmith Ridge. Riding quality was amazing and the snowpack seemed less spooky than expected.

Winds gusted into trees occasionally but overall the below ridge top area was relatively shelled from wind-effect

Dug a pit and performed a quick column test in a drifted region near the ridge top to assess a “worst case scenario for the area”. With drifting snowpack probed at 220 cm. Fractured at CT17-18 80 cm down at the interface between the new snow and the facets. Fracture was very uneven and the new snow had little slab character yet. Last few wacks (CT 28-30?) broke the column near ground on the facet layer. Immediately after this we realized we should have been writing this down in the moment, because we could not remember the exact number. By end of day snow at lower elevation or in the sun was starting to get more moist as temperatures hovered near freezing.