Headed into Upper Big Cottonwood today to assess snow totals, sensitivity, and the interaction between the new snow and old snow interfaces.
On southerly aspects, the new snow primarily fell on bare ground or a melt-freeze crust at the surface. In shaded northerly terrain, it landed atop older storm layers and weak faceted grains. The snowpack in these areas includes multiple crusts from sun and warming periods, with signs of weakening at those interfaces.
On a northerly aspect at 9,700', I observed propagation in an extended column test, both in small facets above a firm mid-pack crust and in the facets at the ground. Both layers remain a concern, I am unsure how widespread the mid-pack firm layer is but the facets on the ground can be found on all shaded aspects, and the likelihood of propagation will only continue to increase throughout the next 24 hours.
At upper elevations, winds appeared to be transporting new snow along ridgelines and sub-ridges, creating noticeable mid-slope texture. Shallow wind slabs are likely forming in these areas, which could sit atop weak, faceting snow, increasing the potential for cohesive slab development.
