New snow conditions Hemlock Ridge

Skied from June to the Hemlocks in the afternoon.  Dust on supportable crust on the WNW ski from J7 down to Yost Lake.  On a NW exposed 30 degree slope at 9800', 15 cm of F new snow over 2cm of 1F+ windboard over 4F snow.  Hand shear pulled with moderate/hard force below the windboard, first photo.  Challenging skinning with this soft snow on the dense layer.  Higher up on a NE aspect just in the lee of the ridge, 10500', 35 degree slope that was actively wind loading, the 10 cm of wind blown snow failed upon isolation of the hand shear, second photo.  We decided not to ski a steeper, exposed pitch off the ridge.  Coming down the protected NNE trees was really fun soft powder skiing.  No sloughing.  Below 8800' on the way down to the 4 seasons TH on a NNW slope, a melt freeze crust was starting to freeze at 6pm, but was still managable.