Heather Ridge/North Side

Ended up switching the location to Paradise due to snowpack considerations and to Saturday instead of Sunday due to an incoming storm predicted for Sunday.

Twitter feed said gate was to open at 10:00, but it actually opened at 9:30. Chains required on 2wd above Nisqually Bridge. Ranger at Longmire gate was asking for drivers to show they had chains. Skied Mazama ridge back bowl for several laps. Boot top soft snow, somewhat wind effected, but skiied OK. Dug an pit to the ground. 84cm snow depth, 50cm pencil hard from ground. 34cm fist hard (or softer) above. Extended column test no results. Shovel shear failure was irregular. Three other groups today in the back bowl One skier another group did a ski cut on a steeper NE aspect of the bowl and released some of the new storm slab. There was also a small crown (< 6 inches) of the new snow on a steep east facing pitch. We skied the lower angle slopes of the back bowl and down to 4th crossing without anything reacting. We were back to the car @3:00 -- just as the precip changed from wet snow to rain. 4-5 inches of snow on top of car. Too foggy for pics.