Poor structure; the oldest snow near the base of the pack cracked out repeatedly not only around the skis but propagating well above me and beyond me in low angle terrain. Activity relegated to areas that had suffered from the strong pre-frontal southerlies with the additional 8-12" above. Felt like I needed just a bit more wind to have been able to remotely trigger classic steep north facing terrain off the ridgeline. The ridgeline is notorious for harboring weak early season north facing snow and also for seeing the brunt of the southerly winds. All can be noted from safe terrain as one ascends toward 10420.

Intra storm weaknesses may still be a player with increased wind transport from stronger north to northwest winds. Much of the new snow seemed to have bonded well to the rough and warm corrugated mf crust on the southerlies.