On Saturday, we were traversing under cliffs onto the NE Face of Sunset Peak and I noted two audible collapses with shooting cracks. The snow was very hard to skin through since it was so upside down and when I got to some steeper thinner spots it collapsed. I dug a quick pit and noted a ~30cm of drifted snow on top of 30-40cm of weaker F- snow. This weaker snow was loose and cold.

We opted to ski lower angle and less connected terrain.

I had my hunches about the weakening snow from the very cold clear period before but didn't expect to find it so in my face here. Although this might not be everywhere I think we should be carefully evaluating this now buried snow as more weather comes in.