South Fork Eagle River – Hunter Pass (North Bowl area)

Public observation:

There was much more evidence of wind today, with the slopes on the South Fork trailhead side being quite scoured.  Heading up to Hunter Pass, a few small pockets of soft and loose snow was hidden on leeward sides of large vegetation patches.  All elsewhere was blown to crust/tundra or snow being deposited on leeward side of terrain features.  These drifts contained slabs ranging from 2-6 inches deep of softer slab, about hand to fist hardness but, cohesive enough to send shooting cracks out with the slightest of instigation.  Size of the slab was limited by size of the snow patch.  The slab seemed to easily break apart once loose though.