Took a little trip-Day #2

Day two found us seeking out the more appealing terrain we had scouted the day before.  The weather forecast was supposed to be better, however as often happens it was not.  The second day, very similar to the first day with clouds moving in and out, low visibility and higher winds.  We decided to head deeper into the basin in hopes that the clouds would break.  I was a little leery heading into the day, as we left the area the first day winds picked up substantially with continued snow.  Conditions maintained through the night, creating a ripe environment for reactive wind slabs at elevation. We picked a beautiful line we had viewed the day before and worked our way to it. I had looked down this line 9 years prior in the summer and it has lingered in my memory over the years.  With about a half foot of fresh snow it was looking to make for some great turns.  With low visibility we climbed, checking snow often.  Swirling winds at the top slowly depositing snow.  A few hundred feet from the top we started getting sloughs coming down the couloir and the snow changed.  We had found the wind slab we expected.  As often happens we pulled the plug and enjoyed over half the run in great snow conditions.  The run is not going anywhere, so I hope to one day return and ride it.  We had numerous discussions about being able to detect reactive wind slabs in snow testing.  To my knowledge these things are hard to register in an ECT test, often being pulverized by the first few taps where they are thinner and inconsequential. Sometimes it is hard to identify the slight density change from undisturbed, unconsolidated powder, and the small shift it makes when the wind slightly consolidates it on storm days.  I think at times we are looking for the “hollow drum” wind pan, obvious wind slab that we are told about, when realistically it seems sometimes the slightest density change can give unconsolidated powder the opportunity to consolidate and transfer energy.  I am sometimes amazed at how touchy these wind slabs can be and have had a handful of encounters with them.   Without a good way to identify them through snow analysis we concluded that it just seems wise to avoid high alpine wind exposed terrain when there is active loading on, or even the day after fresh light snow and winds.  These pesky buggers seem to heal quickly in the spring, and it is a good practice in patients to just acknowledge that these are the perfect conditions to create wind slabs.  Just like the old guys (who I am quickly becoming) used to tell me, just wait for a few days after a storm.  They were right and every year I listen more to this great advice.  Besides, usually on storm days the riding conditions are pretty good, so might as well enjoy them and save the other terrain for a home run day.   We spent the rest of the day riding great powder conditions and gawking at the incredible mountain views.  What a spectacular area and a great trip.