Tri-canyon tour Alta -> Cardiff -> Mill D North -> Little Water -> Millcreek. I was able to look at all aspects at all elevation bands between 6,500' -> 10,500'. Today, I was focusing on:

the existing snow surface;

recent wind loading.

I found no weak snow on all aspects up to 10,500'. Recent warmth and wind has prevented weak snow from forming at the surface and new snow should bond well to the existing snow surface. Or as the poet Jean Valentine describes it (much better): "where the new snow taps on the fallen snow".

Despite the moderate to strong southerly winds, very little wind transport occurred today. This is likely due to sun and temperature crusts on windward aspects at the mid and upper elevations. One pit on a NE aspect at 9,400' on Little Water had interesting results with ECTP12 failing down 35 cms on a layer of decomposing fragments (not faceted snow). I repeated the test five times, with ECTP11-13 each time. This slope is the same aspect/elevation to the avalanche accident on Little Water on Tuesday, February 27, and my pit results were likely failing on the same weak layer as Tuesday's avalanche. The weak layer is not a persistent weak layer, so it should continue to heal. On other slopes with no wind-loading, pit scores were either ECTX (no fracture) or ECTN with 20+ taps. I do not think this problem is widespread, but given Tuesday's avalanche and the weak layer still reactive two days later, I would avoid steep, northerly facing slopes that have been wind-loaded.

Photos:

1. Cardiac Bowl and Ridge

2. Big Cottonwood/Millcreek Ridgeline

3. Sastrugi on exposed ridgeline

4. One of the few occurrences of wind-drifting I encountered.

5. Pit showing full propagation

Other Photos:

1. I did see one natural cornice fall on Big Water Peak, and the cornices along many ridge lines are large and overhanging.

2. Ski cut on a steep, north-facing, wind-sheltered test slope illustrating how the snow surface is not weak as the sluff didn't run far and was clumped together.

3. Lenticular clouds ahead of upcoming storm.