A widespread crust that developed during the very warm period towards the end of March exists on all aspects. It is now covered by roughly a foot of snow, and I did not find a concerning layer of facets at the interface of this slab and crust. On the saddle and ridgeline which can be representative of near and above treeline terrain, I did not find a wind slab avalanche problem.

Hahns Peak

Parked near the Columbine Cabins. Skinned up FS Road 490 to the summer trailhead, followed the two-track road northeast from there, and headed to the summit of Hahns Peak from the northwest.

I found 25-35cm of snow from the last week on west through north through east aspects, sitting atop a melt-freeze crust (varying from just a couple centimeters to over 10) that developed during the very warm and dry period we experienced prior to this storm cycle. This slab is fist to four-finger hard, and has quickly settled which I noticed skiing down in what felt like fairly heavy snow. I did not find a notable layer of weak snow at the interface of this crust and slab, and while an extended column test did fracture at this interface in a snowpit dug on a northeast slope, there was no propagation. Walking in the usually areas where I find wind drifted snow and cornices, I neither found recently developed thick wind slabs nor did I experience shooting cracks or other signs that indicate a potential reactive wind slab problem.

Overcast skies with temperatures in the low to mid-twenties. Light southeast winds with light snow transport on the summit ridge. No new snow.