Observation Date: 12/03/2011

Route/Location:
Up the ridge towards Sweeney Peak above the Bitterroot Valley, then back down ridge and then down into the easternmost NE facing bowl above One Horse Creek.

Weather:
Cloudy skies, cold temperatures, and light snow falling much of the day.

Wind:
Ridgetop winds were strong, almost knocking us over at about 9000 feet. Wind direction was somewhat variable, but mostly blowing from SW. Plenty of snow moving over the ridge into some E-NE facing bowls above One Horse Creek.

New Snow: 3-6″

Snow DensityThe mass of snow per unit volume, but often expressed as a percent water content. New fallen powder has a low densityThe mass of snow per unit volume, but often expressed as a percent water content. New fallen powder has a low density (3-10%), while heavy or wet snow is more dense (10-20%). (3-10%), while heavy or wet snow is more dense (10-20%).: Light

Avalanche Activity:
No avalanche activity.

Other Comments:
The weather turned us around to seek some more sheltered terrain below the ridgecrest. A snowpitA pit dug vertically into the snowpack where snow layering is observed and stability tests may be performed. Also called a snow profile. downslope, below the wind-deposited snow at about 8400 feet (NE aspectThe compass direction a slope faces i.e. North, South, East, West.) yielded hard failures (CT 25, Q3) on an older crustA crust is a hard layer of snow where liquid water has refrozen into grain fabric. Crusts usually result from sun, rain or wind. about 40 cm deep. No failures on the depth hoarLarge-grained, faceted, cup-shaped crystals near the ground. Depth hoar forms because of large temperature gradients within the snowpack. at the bottom of the snowpack which was about 140 cm deep at this point. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at the quantity and quality of the snow above 6000 feet.

Observer: Adam Clark