Spent the day exploring snowpack in the Alta/Catherines Pass area. We dug our first quick n dirty pit in Alta on a NW facing aspect at 10,100ft. HS45cm. We got ECTN12 30cms from ground with a Q3 shear quality (non-planar, uneven, irregular, and rough) that propagated about 1/3 way across the pit.

For our second pit, we swung around to a due North aspect under Sunset Peak at 10,400ft. Found a thinner spot, HS ~60cm. Dug a sloppy Column Test, cutting the backside with my pole. Before I could fully cut through the backside of the column, it popped out with energy, revealing a smooth clean surface 35cms from ground. This wasnt a very good test, but the Q1 shear quality (see photo) and subsequent magnification of facets under a loupe (see photo, 3mm grid), was enough of a result for me.