Big collapses

We skied around Sawtelle Peak today where there is a solid 4 feet of snow at 8750' where we restarted the snow depth sensor which is working now.

The good: We didn't see any recent avalanches, but we were traveling on foot and couldn't see all the terrain. The weak layer of snow that formed on the snow surface after Thanksgiving into early December is slowly gaining strength. There's also a ton of snow and coverage has improved dramatically. 

The bad: The weak layer of facets is generally in the middle of the snowpack and can be found on all slopes. The recent snow is the first big test of this weak layer, and it produced numerous big rumbling collapses on both an East and Southwest aspect. These collapses are an obvious sign of unstable snow and told me not to trust the snowpack.

Of interest: There are several thin rain crusts within the upper two feet of snow. You'll likely feel the upper most rain crust under your track but not under skis. The attached photo shows the most recent freezing rain event on the trunks of trees.