Taylor Fork Surface Hoar and Facets

There was 4 inches of new snow in Taylor Fork, and there was wind drifting in several places. We rode to the wilderness boundary to dig a pit. We were on a south aspect at 8,800’. HS 125cm (~4 feet), ECTN5 on surface hoar under the new snow, ECTN21 on facets 1.5 feet below the surface, ECTN 28 on facets near the ground. We rode past the Otter Slide to dig on a north facing aspect, and we had an ECTP5 on buried surface hoar. There was 6” of new snow on top of the surface hoar layer that propagated. While leaving Taylor Fork this afternoon it was beginning to snow. The additional snow in the forecast will likely make this surface hoar layer more reactive now that it is buried. Additionally, the poor structure throughout Taylor Fork could make the deeper weak layers more reactive.