Started my tour from White Pine to Maybird at 0845 this morning under clear skies and in brisk conditions. Immediately noticed the widespread 1/2" melt/freeze crust (rain crust?) from yesterday which was widespread through the White and Red Pine areas. Yesterday also made the skin track pretty darn icy so be prepared. The temps rose into the 20s as the day progressed which came with increased winds. One natural release from sometime in the last week on the northwest aspect of Pfiefferhorn. There was also some loose wet activity from yesterday but nothing significant.

I dug two pits today. The first was on the Red Pine Trees ridge at 9600' NE aspect on open terrain. There was surface hoar starting to form and some graupel as well. Depth was 105cm with the primary weak layer at 55cm above ground. Facets from ground to 40cm are metamorphisizing and bridging and gaining strength with size greater than 3mm. 40cm to 55cm above ground is beginning to metamorphasize but have not began bridging to a significant extent. 55cm to surface included facets and decomposing facets which shows that a couple of the cold nights we've had really took a toll. ECT and shovel pull test yielded no results. The primary weak layer at 55cm is composed of very small facets between two consolidated layers.

The second pit was at the same elevation and north aspect but in sheltered, low angle terrain. Three distinct layers in this pit were ground>35cm>55cm>surface. Ground to 35cm above ground shows signs of healing facets with bridging taking place. 35cm to 55cm shows the beginnings of metamorphisizing facets with modest bridging. 55cm to surface was a mix of stellars and facets and no surface hoar or crust. ECTX and null results on shovel pull test. Weak layer at 55cm shows fully decomposed facets indicating buried surface hoar from dry spell in mid-December.

Huge Caveat: This data is not representative of the entire Wasatch. These are favored areas with more snow than most places. Don't get too optimistic.