Medicine Bow Nordic Ski Patrol
Patrol Log: Saturday, January 30, 1999:  T. Thibodeau
I skied with patrollers Barrie Bloom and Erin Schanzenback.
We arrived at the Centennial Visitor Center at about 10:00.
We skied up the Middle Fork Road to Percy Park and skied the
Question Mark.  The temperature was in the high  30s with
clear skies and no wind (really).  During the course of the
day we encountered seven skiers on the Question Mark.  At
the end of the day we encountered approximately 20 skiers
at the Centennial Visitors Center that were returning for
the Barber Lake Road.

We dug a snow pit at the top of the Question Mark (SW, NE,
NE, Sec 9, T15N, R78W).  The slope had about a 15 degree
slope and was oriented almost due east.  Snow depth in the
pit was over six feet.  The surface temperature (T) of the
snow was -6 Celsius (C). At 10 centimeters (cm) the T
dropped to -8 C.  At 20 cm the T dropped to -10 C.  The
T remained at -10 C until 70 cm where it rose to -9 C.
The T remained at -9 until the 120 cm mark, where it rose
to -8 C.  At 140cm the T rose to -7 where it remained until
the bottom of the pit.  From the surface to the 20cm mark
there was a three finger block.  From 20-32 cm there was a
four finger block.  From 32-40 cm there was a one finger block.
From 40-72 cm there was a two finger block.  From 72-95 cm there
was a three finger block.  From 92-120 cm there was a one finger
block, and from 120 cm to the bottom of the pit there was another
one finger block.  The entire snow pack exhibited little faceting
(2<mm).  There was no wind on Saturday, but the slope did exhibit
sights of considerable side loading.  A shovel shear test revealed
shear plains between each of the blocks discussed above.
The snow pack appeared to be fairly stable.

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Page last modified February 1, 1999
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