Snowy Range-Green Rocks Trailheads
30°F, light breeze, sunny at 12:20, 26°F light snow at 4:30
pm.
Vehicle count: 12:20 pm 4:30 pm Visitor Center 3 sm 0 Lower Barber Lk Road 2 sk 0 Corner Mountain 2 sk 0 Little Laramie parking area 1 sk 0 Sand Lake road 3 2 sm, 1 sk 1 sk upper turnout 3 sm 2 sm Green Rocks 59 26 (17 sm, 9 sk) (44/15 sm/sk&lodge)Snowstake: 22 in
Ski tour:
Green Rocks trailhead to upper Libby Creek trail. Dug snow pit
at first open slope down to Libby Creek, below trail (same slope as 11/22
and 12/13). Continued to junction of upper and lower Libby
Creek trails (UTM coordinates 13T 03 96 627; 45 76 978) with Henry and
Cheryl. Returned by upper Libby Creek trail. Spoke with 5 snowshoers
and 4 groups of skiers (8 total), 7 dogs.
Snow pit: Time: 1:30 pm Location: SW1/4 SW1/4 NE1/4 Sec 24 T16N R79W, open trees Elevation: ~9920' Orientation: E facing slope in relatively thick trees on the side of slope, shaded much of the day Dip: 15 ° Depth: 24" (63 cm) Description from top down: Temperatures: OA 30 °F 0-3cm: fresh snow, loose flakes, fist-no strength 3-10cm: consolidated ET slab wind loaded, 4-finger 10-27cm: loose TG snow, facetted but linked into larger loose clusters, fist 15cm 29 °F 27-41cm: compacted TG, small loose facets but some cohesion, 4-finger 30cm 30 °F 41-52cm: loose TG, large isolated facets, no cohesion 45cm 34 °F 52-55cm: ice layer 55-63cm: loose TG facets, no cohesion 55cm 35 °F
Shovel shear test: easy slide of upper consolidated layer ~1 cm into upper loose TG layer (12 cm deep). Lower sections would not shear or flow but believe that they might at a higher slope angle. Summary: Pole tests throughout ski tour confirms that slab and loose depth hoar exist throughout region. Avalanche danger moderate to high,especially any wind loaded slopes. The sheer thickness of the TG layer suggests that danger will be high for the rest of the cold season.