Quick report
We did not observe any significant signs of instability today. We dug two upper elevation snow pits, one on a northeast aspect and the other on a south aspect. Both pits had some minor faceting below a crust around 2 feet deep, but did not produce any results in stability tests. There is still some uncertainty about the sensitivity and distribution of the persistent slab problem, but where we traveled it appeared isolated and stubborn to unreactive.
Weather
- Air Temp
- Mid 30s
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Rain Elevation
- 5500
- Recent Snowfall
- 5 cm
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
It was a warm day with calm winds and light southwest gusts at ridgeline. Broken skies with some sunshine in the morning through early afternoon gave way to light to moderate snow showers in the late afternoon. Light to moderate rain started falling as we packed up the sleds at the trailhead. Off and on rain showers continued during my drive back up the Bitterroot Valley.
Snowpack
We dug two snow pits today. One was on a northeast aspect at 7500 ft, and the other was on a south aspect at 7600 ft. Both pits had some minor faceting below a crust around 60 cm deep. We did not observe a layer of near surface facets above the crust, as we have seen in the Seeley Lake zone. Neither pit produced any results in column tests or extended column tests.
There were a couple of inches of new snow at upper elevations. Along upper elevation ridgelines the snow was lightly wind affected. The snow at lower elevations was wet with only a light refreeze in the morning. Snow coverage at lower elevations remains thin.