There was evidence of natural avalanche activity that occurred during the storm on Friday as the bed surfaces were partially filled in. All activity seemed to occur within the storm snow as I did not see any evidence of slides breaking down into deeper layers. I was seeing this as a positive sign as this area received 1.3" of water in a short period of time during the storm on Friday and no deeper layers were reactive.

There was a natural avalanche that failed at the new snow/old snow interface on the steeper, N-facing slopes below Bailey Cabin Springs at 8,400'. I dug a pit on an adjacent slope and could only get ECTN21, failing at the new snow/old snow interface down 35 cms. Pit in photo below.

Overall I was finding a deep and stable snowpack on Ben Lomond. A rain event to ~7,200' on 12/19 still has some damp grains lower down in the snowpack in lower elevations, but crusts above the damp grains have frozen more solidly. Above 7,000' the snowpack quickly gains depths deeper than 1.5 meters. Over 2 meters above 8,000'.

Photos of recent natural avalanches on:

- Willard Peak

- Bailey Cabin Springs

- Ben Lomond ridge