Fat Maid, Maid of the Mist Basin

We found an overall very variable snowpack in the alpine, with deeper wind affected snow on leeward features, usually sporting a thin to moderate wind board and very shallow, hard wind affected snow on windward features, usually rocky. Below and near tree line, snow was soft and cold on northerly aspects and a bit squishy and warm on more southerly slopes. In the couloir it’s self, we found a shallow snowpack averaging 30-70 cm in depth. Lower in the couloir we found a 6-8cm faceting crust over large facets. It was not reactive to non-SWAG hand pits and shear tests dug throughout the up route. Higher (approx 1/2 the way) in the couloir, the snow transitioned to rounded, hard to very hard (1F to P, some places P+ or K) wind affected snow uniform throughout the depth. This only changed on the more southerly parts, often near rock, where the snow was faceted and softer (4F to F), being unconsolidated and loose in a few places.