Fine weather for exploration and terrain previewing. We are fortunate to have such great access to incredible locations. Calm and cold at the trailhead in the shade, but warm enough to loose a layer on the skin. Ridgelines were up in the wind zone and there was saltation of snow down slope and even some instances of mid elevation snow movement. This was not an issue, as it was mainly just facets being blown around and not really being drifted into slabs. Wind board, dapple, crust, sastrugi, recrystalized pow, you name it, we got it out there. Keeps you guessing from turn to turn, but some locations provided Fair-Good skiing. Quite a lot of tracks across the range are evidence of people getting after it. On our exit out of Mineral Fork, we did notice a peculiar small slab that popped out mid-slope on Mongo No off the Santiago Ridge. It was difficult to tell the age of this slide in the waning afternoon light, but it was interesting none the less. 40' wide and probably 12" deep only running about 30-40' downslope. Adjacent to that was an older slide (after last storm). Also possible to view Diving Board glide avalanche from top of East Fork, as well as some other glide cracks farther up the drainage on Blue Ice.

Pictures:

Mongo No Slides

Blue Ice Glide Cracks

Wind effect on Monte Cristo. Intermittent moderate gusts moving snow.

Upper Cardiff mid-elevation wind affected slopes.