Headed back to my testing trees on Wednesday afternoon, a nice slow mellow skin on a perfect blue sky day. Wanted to take my time on my day off to head back to the trees and check to see if the day of warm weather had done anything to the snowpack. On Top of the World alone in the afternoon is aways a place of welcome solitude, and needed after a nutty week.

Skied my Old Man’s run not noticing any new activity from the days tracks. The middle was debris filled and covered and there were tracks slowly pushing out from the trees, emerging from the weekend cycle. The snow felt more supportive than it had been, but no guarantee of stability. Also, tracks had been put down in the left of Abraham’s, and it was obvious people were testing it. Of course Tweeners was hit, but I won’t ski Tweeners agin this year. Just my own opinion on that.

The East facing traverse to the lower trees were crusted from sunhit and uneventful. Felt like a spring day. Nice to take a break from the black flag conditions we have been experiencing. Got back to my area, and found a fresh, non fractured part of the crown to try again.

Snowpack was the same as the day before, no changes I could see except the air temp(2 C). Cut two columns and got very different results. CT-24Q2 and CT-30Q2, which was much different from the day before. Seemed like a huge change, so I cut another two and got CT-4Q2 and CT-2Q2. Not sure the issue, but those are my results, interpret as you will.

However it did seem that things were backing off a little and the day of warm temps did seem to help consolidate the lower trees a little, but didn’t cure by any means lurking instabilities. Like last time before, I was interested in the pack before the storm.

Not sure how the new snow will react until it hits, but hoping for danger not to be as elevated as last Sunday.

1/26/12

Watching the storm dump snow on my deck by the inch. 9:30 and four or so has fallen, with light winds and snow with a little moisture.  Coming in to another big weekend and hoping things are going to line up for a good one.  Won’t be out  on Saturday, but interested in what’s going to go down.  Headed out tomorrow mid day to enjoy and remember why I’m doing this.  Let you all know.