Test scores and obs from Mount Blackmore

Our group toured up into Blackmore today with the goal of skiing lines on the E and N faces. We dug a pit on a representative slope near the base of Blackmore. The pit had a depth ranging from 110 to 130 cm and showed large faceted crystals near the ground with faceted crystals present up to 60cm from the surface. We performed a shovel shear test and had a failure 60 cm from the surface, which identified our layer of interest. Our first ECT had scores of ECTN3 in the newer snow and a ECTP19 at the ground. I felt that the propagation at the ground may have been affected by some undercutting from the cord and I wanted to see if we would have propagation on the layer down 60 cm so we performed another ECT directly behind the first. This test scored ECTP29 at the layer down 60 cm, which was expected. We decided to take a slightly more conservative approach to our line choice for the remainder of the day based on these results. 
 

Also of note, as we traversed a corniced ridge later in the day, two of our group members simultaneously came too close to the edge of a cornice and it broke away, but did not fall down the slope. Fortunately, everyone was alright, but it was a close call and we will definitely be more mindful next time. We believe the cornice was made more sensitive by the warm weather over the past few days.