Whumpfing in Fingers Meadow

Skinned up the closed ski area to the Fingers Meadow above the Pierres Knob chairlift. Got a substantial collapse (whumpf) while skinning and stopped to dig a pit at that location. E aspect, 8100 ft. Snowpack consisted of 6-8" of old, weak, faceted snow at the ground capped by ~18" of snow that has fallen over the last week. 

ECT broke on the old snow while isolating the column. Twice (ECTPV x 2). Clear signs of instability kept us out of avalanche terrain.