13 Jan 02, 0845-1630, Snowy Range.  Skied from Green Rock to Bear
Lake via Sally Creek.  Then returned via Libby Creek Trail, treebashing
past Swastika Lake and dropping west back to lower Sally Creek.

Dug a snowpit on Bear Lake in partly cloudy weather.  It was a windy
day with light snow falling, but conditions were calm on the north shore

of Bear Lake.

58 cm ---- snow surface ------------------------------------------------
                                                   new powder
41 cm ---- top, old surface      ----------------  easy shovel shear ---
                                                   fist snow
20 cm ---- top, depth-hoar layer----------------------------------------
                                                   depth hoar
0 cm  ----- lake surface (ice + slush)----------------------------------

A Rutschblock test didn't cause failure.

Comment:  This shallow column reflects the classic early-winter profile:
depth hoar with an old layer and some new snow on top.  Even though
the Rutschblock test didn't reveal instability, the existence of a
significant layer of depth hoar suggests that people should be cautious
on slopes over 25 degrees.