Inconsistent test results at Blue Lakes

We started this morning during a pause in new snowfall, which allowed for good visibility. I found a very recent mini wind slab avalanche along the ridge of Border Ruffian, and there was active wind loading even well below the ridgeline. But otherwise informal observations weren't providing much feedback. Mitt pits and test slopes, including stacking tracks progressively higher, didn't indicate instability.

I was curious what was happening at the new/old interface in this area, so I stopped to dig a few quick pits. My first, on a shaded aspect at 8,200ft near Border Ruffian, showed a wet rain layer at the bottom of the recent storm snow. Although there were some loose, angular grains within the rain layer, it would be an exaggeration to call it a faceted layer. An ECT did not propagate, and prying on the column afterwards did not result in a clean separation between layers. I went to another shaded aspect at 8,700ft, and found the same layer to be dry and faceted, with wet snow above it. At this location, an ECT propagated across the column on a hard tap. A third location a few miles away, also on a shaded slope at 8,200ft, was more similar to the snowpack at 8,700ft, and the ECT propagated again.

Temperatures rose noticeably during the morning. Snowfall appeared to be quite localized - often we were in areas with snowfall while looking at blue sky not far away, and vice-versa. Around 2pm, temperatures cooled, and snowfall rates increased. Winds decreased during the warming trend, and then picked up again in the afternoon.

Pic 1: A very small, natural trigger wind slab avalanche along the Border Ruffian ridgeline

Pic 2: Wind transport patterns on the snow surface, even in the trees well below ridgeline