Initial morning accumulations were fairly low density and skied well but were not enough to keep off the bottom of the old firm surface below. Late in the day a density inversion appeared to be happening with graupel falling notably at 4pm.
The winds picked up and persisted throughout the day. New drifts were forming over fresh tracks in minutes. With the wind moving snow in many directions, it would be easy to be surprised.
It's still there and should be given serious consideration in all travel plans. The takeaway from the patrol's results for me is that a lot of areas have still not been skied due to the conditions of this winter. The danger lies in opening new terrain where the energy may still be stored in that persistent layer and awaiting a trigger.
