Snowpit from the Mammoth Rock area

Toured up towards mammoth rock to assess the new snow instability, to look for buried SH layers, and to assess instability on the buried facets.  The snow surface was quite supportive with only 10cm of ski penetration.  The new snow was is some areas more densely windpacked than others.  Dug in on an open N facing 25 degree at 8600'.  HS 158, new snow 10cm overlain by 1cm of denser wind blow snow.  This windblown snow was as thick as 6cm in other places.  CTM12 Q3 ECTN 13 on the new snow old snow interface.  Did not find any buried surface hoar in that location, but did find a surprisingly thick 3cm layer of graupel.  It's possible the graupel collected in a depression on the old snow surface.  No results on the CT or ECT tests on this graupel layer.  The facets were buried 100cm deep and were starting to round in this location, sticking to eachother on the crystal card and holding cohesion when compressed.  CTH22 Q1(see photo), no results within the ECT, but an irregular fracture with no propogation did form after hitting hard a few times post shoulder.  

Did not notice any whumping, shooting cracks, or collapsing.  Did not see any signs of recent avalanches.  Fun turns on low angle slopes.