A variety of snow characteristics existed on this tour today: crusty snow at lower and mid-elevations in the am turning to good corn snow on the sunnier aspects; at higher elevations, good corn developed on S through W aspects while turns in pockets of dense recrystalized powder could be linked together by carefully working the more shady micro-aspects in Cutler basin

With the relatively stable snow conditions now existing, a tour into the run-out zone of Cutler basin is most worthwhile to view at close-hand the evidence of the awesome destructive power of a major avalanche (occurred during the end-of-February "Monsoon").