Optimistic, we set out early to check out the Needle today and possibly ski that and Coalpit but weather deteriorated around 9am, around the time we were topping out on the Hogum Hogback. Winds were gusting in the strong category and moving snow intensely on the ridges. By days end we triggered a few shallow slabs in the surface snow, with the largest being 50' wide and up to 18" deep on a short, steep convex sub-ridge in upper Bells Canyon at 10850', SW facing.

The buried rime crust is glazed and in full force on anything northerly near and above treeline in Maybird, Hogum and Bells- so much so that after skiing the Hogum 200 we felt totally fine about backing off any plans for steeper terrain. Seems bleak that this steep terrain will come into condition any time soon, if not for the season.

Sloughing was easily initiated on terrain 37 degrees and steeper.

Beautiful day once the clouds broke around 3pm in Bells. Prior to that it was full ping pong ball in the Alpine.

HS 235cm at 10k in Bells