Weather data for the 24 hours to 7am 28 Jan (after a week away from my weather study plot): cold overnight low of –13C, warmest in the period was –4C. Winds are light again this morning and the snow surface has 1mm hoar crystals after a clear cold night.

Field data from yesterday (27th): -10.3C air temp at –7.6 on the snow surface. The sky was mostly overcast with limi9ted visibility and breaks in the clouds. Wind was pleasantly calm, making digging a snow pit very comfortable. And all the better because we found unstable snow on the south side of the Goryu ridge at 1900m. Multiple easy to medium compression test results (between 8 and 11 hits). Plus a compelling RB3 (Rutschblock failure on the first compaction after stepping onto the block). These results convinced us not to ski the same slope, so we reversed our ascent along the ridge and descended via a relatively more stable route. After digging our profile we met a Norwegian group of professional skiers making a ski film. They also convinced themselves not to ride the slope and reversed their ascent, but not as far as we did. A later report from their team detailed consistent slides every time they cut low off the spine. I feel confidant that the south faces of the Goryu ridge above 1700m was not stable on that afternoon.