Patrol Log for Saturday Jan. 22, 2000

Candidate training day:  K. Gilbert, R. Farris, C. Knobe, R. Kubichek,
                         D. Moncecchi, J. Moncecchi, L. Moncecchi

Skied from Green Rock Picnic Area out onto the upper Libby Creek Loop.
Region had received 6-8 inches of new snow.  One skier and snowshoer(with
snowboard) preceded our tracks out onto the loop at ~9:20 am.  We returned
to Green Rock by 2 pm, passing in excess of 16 skiers, 10 snowshoers and
a reasonable variety of happy trail dogs.

Snow stake at top of Barber Lake trail:  33 inches.

Dug snowpit near top of first Libby Creek overlook.
Location:  NAD27 UTM Zone 13 T 398254E 4577082N Elev. 9920 ft.
           26 degree slope incline, facing 147 degrees wrt magnetic north
           On east side of open slope, approximately 20 feet from tree border
           and 150+ feet below trail.
           Sky was partly cloudy with a mild breeze and intermittent flurries.
           Air temperature -3 Celcius
           Total snow depth at pit:  40 inches
           Some rock anchors near pit bottom, ~6 inches high

           Height from   Temp(C)     Snow Texture       Comment    
           Ground (inch)
           ===================================================================
           40              -3        New powder
           37              -3            "              Soft Fist Consistency
           34              -4            "               
           ---------------------------------------------Shear Layer 3---------
           34              -4        Packed powder
           31              -4            "              Fist Consistency
           27              -4            "
           ---------------------------------------------Shear Layer 2---------
           27              -4        Hard pack          
           22              -2            "              2 Finger
           15              -1            "
           ---------------------------------------------Shear Layer 1---------
           15              -1        Depth Hoar
            7               0            "              Loose, Fist+++
            0               0            "
           ===================================================================
           R-block test with light adult did not budge until major stomp.
             Movement appeared at Sheer Layer 3.
           Shovel shear on adjacent column showed difficult shear at
             Layers 3 and 2 after considerable effort.
           NOTE:  although this pit and an adjacent one demonstrated good
             stability for this day, backcountry travelers should continue
             to carefully monitor their slopes, as the potential for instability
             is definitely present, and each slope will present itself differently.