Release the powder hounds! Hoots and hollers echoed through the woods today as multiple parties enjoyed all-time conditions.

After an exciting drive up, 1-2” of new snow greeted us on top of the groomed road. At the snow study plot, we cleared a whopping 32” of snow off the Gold Basin storm board from the last week’s precip events! This was next to a total of 88” on the snow stake…almost buried!!

Near treeline we observed some pockets of soft 5-8 cm thick wind slab on exposed W and SW aspects. Sheltered W, NW, and N aspects were unreactive with no cracking or whoomphs in the new snow as we broke trail through the trees. We did not dig a pit today, but felt confident in our moderate terrain choices based on the forecast and our observations in the skin track both today and the previous two days.

In the morning, a cold SE wind blew accumulated snow off the tree tops, bombing us occasionally in the skin track. This was accompanied by light snowfall (S1) for an hour or so. Skies cleared in the afternoon and we were able to get some stellar views into Gold Basin, revealing no new substantial avalanche activity, only new snow sluffs. The morning wind did not appear to have transported much of the 1-2” of new, but there are definitely wind loaded leeward slopes lurking out there in the alpine terrain. Heads up for pillowy loaded slopes and cornices up high.

Possibly the most significant danger of the day was the drive up the Geyser Pass road. It’s a legit one-laner in many areas, so please drive respectfully and be ready to back up a fair distance to pass other cars. Visibility around corners is very poor. Big thanks to our plow drivers as they continue to tackle the monumental task of clearing this winter’s bountiful snowfall.

Enjoy the pow!!