Glacier Park - East Side

Quick report

-Bare ground or 1-3" of melt-freeze (MF)/crusty snow at 5000' elevation. -Recent snow from Nov 7/8 was about 4-8" deep around 6000' and resting on top of older melt-freeze crusts 3-4" thick. -This recent snow depened quickly to 10-12+" in areas sheltered from the wind between 6000-7500'. The underlying MF crust was sometimes supportable, but other times not, and boot penetration reached 15-20" to nearly the ground. -In the wind exposed alpine terrain above 7500', the snowpack was highly variable, but generally westerly aspects were scoured down to rock or a supportable and cramponable MF crust, while easterlies held more recent soft storm snow and wind slabs (4F hard). -Post-holed through a few wind pillows with no slab releases or any cracking. -Generally stable conditions with the base of snowpack consisting mostly of melt-freeze crusts on the terrain observed. No avalanche activity observed. No signs of instability.

Weather

Cloud Cover

scattered

Wind Loading

previous

Snow Avail For Transport

moderate amounts

Partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies all day. No precipitation with light westerly winds and very sporadic stronger gusts. Minimal wind-loading confined to terrain above 7000'. Daytime high temperatures estimated in the high teens to low 20s *F above 7000'.