2/24/18 Pineapple Pass route

Lead a group of Mazama Ski mountaineer students from Portland up to Pineapple pass. Took the safe route up to source lake by the creek avoiding the open slopes from alpental picked up a couple of stragglers looking for a skin track. Conditions were considerable per NWAC but looked high when we hit alpine. The basin on the way to pineapple had a natural crown release (pic included ) the ridge tops toward alpental also had multiple  crown release one was 10yds. Yikes!  Dug a pit and saw the weak buried layers at 2ft and 3ft. CT test Top 10" failed at 5th elbow tap to rough break. Ripped skins and skied the trees back to the bottom avoiding the drainages and open slopes. Blower powder skied great. Second lap and it skied better.  Great day of  education and powder skiing.