On Sunday January 18 Bob Howell skied the Potholes route from Green Rock to 
the point where it is close to Brooklyn Lake Road, then returned to Green 
Rock along the road.

I did not meet any other people along the trail this day, but the trail was 
heavily packed from use over the past few days, especially along the lower 
part.

Conditions were mostly sunny with a strong wind early, which eventually 
calmed.  The full trail was still skiable despite the lack of much recent 
snow but in the lower parts, especially the meadows exposed to the sun, 
some rocks were starting to poke through.

I dug a snow pit at 13T 0396754 4579991 (NAD 27) at elevation about 10400 
ft, in the upper meadow above the small lake.  (This is about 40m north of 
the location on Dec. 13, and also close to several snow pits last 
season.)  It was on a 22 deg. slope, facing 73 deg (ENE).

The snow depth was 119 cm, 27 cm more than on Dec. 13.  The air temperature 
was -3C (27F).
 layer height Temp.  Hardness                    Crystal structure
   #   cm     C
 ----- 119-----------------------------------------------------------------
   7                 fist        powder         0.7 mm slightly rounded
                                                needles and dendrites
 ----- 114-----------------------------------------------------------------
   6   110  -10.0    2 fingers                  0.5 mm rounded
 ----- 108-----------------------------------------------------------------
   5                 1 finger                   0.4 mm rounded
 ----- 103-----------------------------------------------------------------
   4   100   -9.0    1 finger                   0.5 mm rounded
        90   -7.0
 -----  84-----------------------------------------------------------------
        80   -6.0
   3    70   -5.0    1 finger                   0.7 mm slightly faceted
        60   -3.5
 -----  57-----------------------------------------------------------------
   2    50   -2.5    4 fingers    hoar          2.0 mm faceted
 -----  49-----------------------------------------------------------------
        40   -2.0
        30   -2.0                 depth hoar
   1    20   -1.0    2 fingers                  1.3 mm faceted
        10   -0.5
------   0   -0.5 ---------------------------------------------------------

Shovel stability test:  It required moderate force to produce a shear at 
the ~103 cm height, Layer 4/5 interface.  Once the shovel penetrated close 
to layer 2 it produced easy shear at that layer -- but the pack is 
reasonably well consolidated above and below this weak layer.

Summary:  At this location the depth hoar has smaller crystals and is much 
stronger than last year, and most of the pack is well 
consolidated.  However there is a weak layer at the top of the depth hoar, 
at a height 49-57 cm.

The car counts were as follows.
                         ------- 10 AM (MST)
                            with    without
                          trailers  trailers
 Corner Mountain Lot         0         1
 Little Laramie Lot          1         0
 Below Cattleguard          45         1
 Cattleguard to Turnaround  24         2
 Green Rock Picnic Gnd. Lot  0         6
 P. G. to Snowy Range Lodge 18         3

 Total                      88        13