Hayrick Butte: Merry Xmas!

Deep. Deep. And Deep. 

Incredible snow in OR today. Not sure who else got hit this hard, but forecast called for 15 inches at 5700, and it did not disappoint. A quick hour skin with the dogs on the cat track was a great 6 mile warm-up. Then went back for multiple laps, and every one after the first was fast. Breaking trail was tough, it was bottomless, but after a skin highway was established, easily 30 minute laps for 600' drops. 

In terms of stability, this has to be the best early season conditions I think I've seen since moving to OR in 16/17. Almost no evidence of a melt-freeze crust. No active propagation seen until close to the summit (5200'+), and then it was very very little. Small development of a wind-slab at that elevation, but the cold temps made for dry and difficult to pack powder. No evidence of slides in the area. Didn't see any snow-rollers. And did I mention, it was deeeeppppp? Skied 30 degree slopes, kept it safe in fairly spaced trees.