VA Lakes - Stable conditions

Toured up VA Lakes up canyon to near VA Pass up SE facing slope to ridgeline at 11,100' in early afternoon.  Beautiful day, mostly calm winds with some light southerly gusts above treeline (>10,800'), scattered high clouds.  SE facing slope was beginning to refreeze at surface by 1pm.  Air temp at 11:30am at 10,100' = 1.5deg C.  Air temp at 3:30pm at 10,300' = 3.5deg C.  See attatched photos of thin/bare southerly facing slopes, and decent coverage on northerly aspects.

No signs of any instabilities at all today.  No signs of any recent loose wet slides of any size.  

Dug pit at 10,300' on gentle NW aspect to check deep facet layers.  See attached.  No concerning test results.  CT failed roughly below old melt-freeze crust in top of most obvious developed facet layer ~50cm down.  Extended column tests did not even fail at this interface.  Thigh deep boot penetration!  

Ran into one skier upon our arrival at 10:45am just finishing a descent of SE gully of Dunderberg who reported no wet instabilities (he began descent at 10:15am), some areas were still somewhat firm and not fully softened yet, other areas were soft enough for nice turns.