Observation Date: 01/10/2021

Route/Location:
Our group traveled up the Stonewall Creek drainage, ascending via the bench. We generally followed the skin track between Terrain Trap Bowl and Main Bowl.

Weather:
Sky: good visibility with little sky cover
Temps: -4 to -2 C
Precipitation: none

Wind:
Calm to light Southeast winds

New Snow: No New Snow

Avalanche Activity:
None observed

Other Comments:
A pit was dug at 7100′ on an East facing aspect with a slope angle of 25º. The height of snow was 120 cm. Our compression test resulted in a CT20 (Resistant Planar) down 25 cm, fracturing in weak snow above a midpack slab.

A second pit was dug at 7200′ on SSW aspect with a slope angle of 12º. The height of snow in this area was 170 cm. Test results were a CT22 down 20 cm, and an ECTN22 down 25 cm.
(See pit profile images)

**Additional pounding on the East aspect pit column (hard 30+ taps) resulted in a sudden planar (SP) collapse in a BSH layer down 76 cm just below the slab. This weak layer is definitely hard to trigger but in other pits has shown propagation and could be of high consequence if it were to get triggered in avalanche terrain.
*Recent surface hoar was prevalent on all aspects and elevations throughout this particular zone.

Observer: Johnny Nilsen