Observation: Douglas Island

Our group followed an established skin track to the summit of Ben Stewart and through Wedding Bowl. Snow conditions above the treeline consisted of about 2-5in of light snow on a hardened crust with lots of wind redistribution. The skin track intersected an avalanche mentioned in previous observations that recent snow cover. The crown was visible at the foot of the rock face near the beginning of Wedding Bowl. This previous avalanche appeared to be a wind slab from snow off the upper bowl terrain which was pretty windblown and crusty. A snow pit had been dug before we arrived in the avalanche debris path and a brief inspection didn’t show any lower snowpack instability. But there were further signs of windblown snow around the area and hoarfrost on the surface near the summit.