Vail & Summit County

Snowpack

Dug a quick pit on east aspect on slope with about 23 deg pitch. Found snowpack of 75cm. Sugar snow/hoar frost bottom 40cm, then 10cm slab with 25cm fresh on top. Did a compression test and sheared at top of slab with 14 taps. We also observed some whomphing and cracks just around our tracks. Some locations near trees had up to 100cm of snow without the slab. We also skinned up to under the east ridge of Arkansas and found strong wind gusts transporting snow. Snow skied funky with some breakable crust and moderately heavy conditions, but also some very good (but earned) turns. Observed some older avalanches on east aspects in the area. Steepest skied was about 30degrees down "valley" with no observable avy action. snow cover limited where winds scoured surface. Some cornice buildup on north ridge of Arkansas.