Quick report
Toured from Gash Creek to Bear Lake and the summit of Sky Pilot, via the north east face. We planned our timing based on the forecast for clouds in the morning, which proved true and helpful as rapid warming began to occur immediately upon solar input into the snow surface. Snow was deeper than expected on the ascent of Gash's east ramp and in classic Bitterroot form we had to set the track on a Sunday morning. This slowed our timing considerably as trail breaking was slow in the 12-16" of light density new snow. A quick transition had us skiing to Bear Lake in wonderful south facing pow at 11:30 am. Set track up lowest angle east facing slopes, then traversed and ascended north face (on skis!) direct to the ridge and summit. Absolutely zero wind was turning the alpine into an oven, but just in time the route turned north. Continual assessment of snow resolved a remarkably well bonded new snow-old snow interface and the lack of wind left a wholly unaffected snow surface. We skied the north gully in the deepest and best conditions I have experienced on this route to date. A rare and perfect set of conditions existed for steep skiing along the divide. Only avalanche activity of note was loose snow slough as wet releases had not yet begun, even on direct solar aspects. I suspect this will likely not be the case today and all solar snow was heavily impacted and already refreezing with surface crusts upon our egress to the car at 5:00 pm.