These are helping to bridge and support these very weak layers. The conditions for the weekend will allow the pack to stay firm above 4,500 feet. South aspects do not show as many layers but moderate to hard shears resulted on faceted snow around crust layers. On a southeast aspect at 4,900 feet in the St. Regis basin Carol Johnson found the pack to be quite firm but it was overlying a foot of loose depth hoar. A rutschblock test got no results.
Surface hoar still lingers at higher elevations on north aspects in the southern region.
Unstable layers in the upper snowpack are confined to NE, N, and NW aspects. Numerous layers of surface hoar exist on these shadier aspects. Although the snow pack is firm these layers are sensitive enough and could be released on steep, open terrain. Sun exposed aspects will have a significant surface crust. New snow from the ensuing storms could produce surface sloughs.