Elderberry Canyon

Skiied Elderberry Canyon this morning, starting to hike around 745am. Snow line is still very close to the parking area. A good freeze last night gave us firm snow to hike on for the first 1.5 hours. There is much recent avi debris low down in the gully, coming from the shallow E and SE facing slope above the approach gully. At approx 7200ft, a slide emptied into the approach gully and ran several hundred feet with enough snow to easily bury a skiier.
At the upper end of the gully, we chose to gain the North Ridge by the second obivous E/NE facing gully (climber's right from upper end of canyon.) At 1200pm, we dug a pit at 11,800ft on an East facing slope. Snow depth: 70inches. Top 3inches easily reactive to pressure. 9 inches below that, moderately reactive to shovel shear test. 9 inches below that, also moderately reactive. We choose to ski a NE aspect, which held wind affected, powder type snow.
Overall, skiing was variable but good overall. Conditions changed quickly with aspect from wind affected powder, to wind board on N and NE facing. E and SE facing slope lower down had creamy, corn type skiing. Near the parking lot, the snowpack is becoming rotten.