Weak layer under new snow at Buck

We rode out Buck Ridge, through Second Yellow Mule, around the top of Third Yellow Mule, and through the top of McAtee. Snowed average S1 all day until 2pm when we rode out, and was still snowing up high at that time. Wind was light from the north. Minimal drifting and transport in the morning, but some very shallow, very soft slabs cracked on wind-loaded slopes near the ridge. Avalanche activity was limited to very small F- dry loose and some F- 2-4" soft slabs. Visibility was not great though. Natural and triggered by us on small test rolls.

There was 4" of new snow on average, and up to 8" of low density snow in places. Below today's snow there was 1-2" of snow from earlier in the week, and that was on top of a layer of surface hoar in some places or soft facets in most places.

The primary concern was and will be where the recent snow gets drifted into thicker or stiffer slabs. Recently buried weak layers might make these fresh wind slabs easy to trigger initially, and possible to trigger for longer into next week. Where today's new snow was not drifted there was minimal hazard aside from small dry loose avalanches.

We dug on an E facing slope at 9,400'. HS was 155cm and we had an ECTN12 on the surface hoar layer at 130cm above the ground.