1 Apr 00, 0900-1330, Snowy Range.  Skied from Green Rock along the
Potholes Route, then worked east from the high meadow just before
the Potholes Route enters the timber.  Followed blue flagging along
the proposed lower segment of the Potholes Route, picking up an abandoned
logging road that descends east to FR 330.  Just before the junction
with FR 330, we turned south to follow a ridge paralleling Wyo. Rte.
130.  Intersected the Lodgepole Loop, then skied to the Little
Laramie parking area.  This route would make an excellent ski trail
connecting Green Rock to the Little Laramie parking area.

Dug a snow pit at the western end of the Lodgepole Loop, with the
following results:

Location:  W. end of Lodgepole Loop, Sec 17, T16N R78W
Elevation: About 9700 ft.
Weather:   Partly cloudy, light W wind, 6 C.
Aspect:    Flat

---------------------------------------------------------------
Depth (cm) Grains (mm) Hardness Shovel Shear    Comments
0--------------------------------------------------------------
            1          Fist                     New powder
6-----------------------------------------------Old surface ---
            < 1        Pencil                   Hard, old layer
15-------------------------------------------------------------
            > 1        Fist                     Old depth hoar
67----------------------------------------------Ground---------

There were no easy shovel-shear layers.  A Rutschblock test
yielded failure of the old depth-hoar layer in response to a
hard jump.

Interpretation:  This snowpit is unusual in that the snowpack is
still very shallow, unlike those at most sites at higher elevations.
The hard slab near the surface is typical of the sun-baked layers
that one finds at all elevations in the Snowy Range, but the weak
layer of old depth hoar is less typical.  It is probably attributable
to the shallowness of the snowpack and the resulting large temperature
gradient.  

The main avalanche danger at higher elevations will be from new and
drifted snow, especially on lee slopes.  The existence of a weak 
layer in this pit serves as a reminder that skiers should use caution
and evaluate the snowpack on steep slopes, even though the weather
pattern of the past few weeks is helping to stabilize the snowpack
at depth on many slopes.