Bowman Lake
Quick report
Overnight patrol with other GNP staff to Bowman Lake for welfare check on The Rainbow Lodge and Bowman Foot Patrol Cabin. • Travel conditions were great with cold fast snow and good coverage. We removed several trees obstructing the road and it is now completely clear for skier and snowshoers. • Lake ice depth not measured. Approximately 90% covered in ice save for the foot of the lake where there is still some open water. The lake was incredibly loud and talkative as the early season ice adjust to the transition. • Multiple loose snow avalanches observed on the high peaks further up the valley. Several appeared fresh from 1/29, and others were within the last few days prior. • Largest debris piles observed were on Rainbow Peak, originating from steep rocky terrain between 8300' and 9000' on the southwest face. • Numa Peak also displayed numerous long running loose snow avalanche on its south face. Highest slide observed originated at 8800'. • Longest running slide (that we were able to observe completely from initiation to terminus) was on the south face of Square Peak running for 1200 feet vertically from ~8300' to ~7100'. • -2 F air temp in Polebridge on the morning of 1/29. Temperature inversion kept things very cold in the valley all day even after the stratus deck subsided. • Temps were evidently much warmer up high with wet snow avalanches releasing as high as 9000' on Rainbow Peak. Winds were very calm, allowing the direct sunshine to pack a punch. • Fog and stratus did not form 1/29 overnight at the lake, allowing temps to moderate much quicker on the valley floor today. We measured 26 F around 11am prior to our departure. • We expect there to be a stout sun crust developed on slopes facing southeast through west after the last few days of warm weather up high. Possibly diminishing some of the concerns of large buried surface hoar after tomorrow's much anticipated snowfall. Plenty of other weak snow to worry about just a little bit deeper in the pack though. • Shadeys are certainly going to be in trouble with surface hoar still and all of the above. Recent wet loose avalanches observed on solar aspects upper-middle elevations.
Snowpack
Roughly 12-18 inch total snowpack at Polebridge RS and about the same at Bowman Lake. Weak faceted snow at the surface in all areas traveled.