We encountered approximately 20 skiers during the course of the day. We passed a party of five skiers that were following our trail up to Libby Flats. The remainder of the skiers were at Telemark Hill or on the Sally Creek Trail. At 2:00 there were approximately 70 vehicles at the Green Rock trail head, 4 vehicles at the Little Laramie trail head, 3 vehicles at the Corner Mountain trail head, and 3 vehicles at the end of the Barber Lake road.
SNOWPIT DATA
Observer:
Todd Thibodeau
Date and Time:
11:30 am, January 11, 1998
Location:
N. bank of Sally Creek about 1/4 W. of Telemark Hill
(SE1/4, SE1/4, SE1/4, Sec. 14, T16N, R79W)
Elevation:
10100 feet
Surface Roughness: Smooth
Aspect:
South Facing, shaded (heavily treed)
Incline:
15 degrees
Sky:
Partly Cloudy
Precipitation:
Light Snow
Snow Surface:
Fresh Snow, unmetamorphosed
Starting at the surface there was about 15 cm of unmetamorphosed new snow. The next 10 cm consisted of a two finger slab with small rounded crystals (< 0.5 mm). The next 15 cm consisted of a three finger slab with small rounded crystals (< 0.5 mm). The next 85 cm consisted of unconsolidated four finger faceted snow (> 2.0 mm). There then was a 2 cm layer of more dense snow. Finally, the remaining 32 cm to the ground consisted of four finger faceted snow (> 2.0 mm). The temperature gradient ranged from 0 degrees Celsius at the ground to -7 degrees Celsius at 100 cm above ground. The remainder of the snow pack to the surface varied from -7 degrees Celsius to -5 degrees Celsius.
A shovel sheer test revealed shear plains at 15 cm, 25 cm, and 40 cm
below the surface. Below these shear plains is bottomless faceted/unconsolidated
snow. It would appear the snow pack is very unstable at this time.
This is a protected leeward side slope in a heavily treed area. Despite
strong winds there was little wind loading at this location.