Haines Pass

3 day weekend out of Stellar hut giving Haines pass a second try this year. Sorry to report conditions are even worst than they were on Dec 31st. Day 1: we skied (got rattled) on an alpine shoulder off Glave SE at GR199037 SW facing at 1400m about 4 km south of Three Guardmen. Snow started wind pressed from the road, rapidly becoming a hard wind crust and turning into impressive sastrugi, all interspersed with exposed ice crust. Things might be better in the trees further south but, by the looks of it, doubt they are good. It was a nice warm day and we wanted to get the views. Day 2: drove 2 km south of Stellar Hut and skied to GR021477 Wfacing 1300m finding some of last week's storm snow in the trees over a 2cm windpacked layer & an overall unsupported/bottomless snowpack less than 1m deep. The trend just above treeline seems to be a very shallow snowpack with a hard wind crust over facets and depth hoar. In the alpine proper, cement snow everywhere. Things can only get better. Enjoy!