I went looking for two things (1) bonding within the storm snow from this storm and last week's storm, (2) and if I could find any facets buried during the second or third week of February.

New snow - generally well bonded all things considered but there has been plenty of avalanche activity at ski areas and by UDOT. There have been glimpses of natural avalanches but poor visibility and winds have limited our ability to see activity. There may have been a natural cycle late at night or early in the morning during the peak of winds and snowfall. It was interesting to see a definite lack of cracking in the new snow. This is not a green light, but it tells me the new snow is rapidly bonding to itself (the glue is drying). The trouble is that more snow is on the way and the snowpack will need just a little more time.

Old snow - The snow surface weakened a bit in some places in the middle of February. Some slopes developed facets. Most did not. Most avalanches have involved soft slabs of new snow and wind drifted snow. I have been hunting for facets and not finding them until today. Found them on a NW facing slope at 7900 feet (see profile and photo below). Then moved higher to 8600 ft and couldn't find them. So buried facets exist in very isolated loactions. With such a heavy load of new snow, they weren't overly reactive in stability tests (ECTP22), and I expect they will heal quickly. I will keep hunting for them for a few weeks.

Photo 1 - new snow instabilities, upside down (harder top layers with softer snow underneath)

Photo 2 - weak layer underneath last week's storm

Photo 3 - faceted crystals in that weak layer

Photo 4 - ECTP22

Photos of the north end of Timp and of Box Elder