Overcast skies in the AM becoming broken by noon. Cold start to the morning, warming to near freezing at midday. Wind exposed terrain saw moderate NW gusts, tho only light blowing snow due to firm surfaces.
No new avalanches. The most recent activity in the area were rollerballs and small wet loose slides in steep, rocky terrain from 1/25-26.
The upper snowpack was generally firm with at least a thin layer of weak, facetted surface snow on the very surface. Up to 10cm of dry snow over the most recent crust (1/26). We noted an overall lack of surface hoar and saw it in only isolated areas.
Wind-exposed terrain was firm and textured, either scoured or old unreactive wind drifts.
Profile- Mt Lillian, 5,840ft, W
HS 94cm, Boot pen 20cm
Notable layers:
84-82cm: F hard, facets (2.0mm)
82-77cm: P hard, MLK crust
53-52cm: 4 Finger hard, surface hoar (8.0-10.0mm), Jan 4th, ECTP28, CTH(RP) @53cm
15-0cm: F-4 Finger hard, facets (2.0mm), Dry @ 15cm but moist near ground
Notable tests: Propagating Extended Column test on the Jan 4th buried surface hoar.
Implications: While it's currently unlikely to trigger an avalanche on the Jan 4th SH due to stout overlying crusts, it could be a problem weak layer with a future load or wetting from melt-water.