Public observation - Scalplock Mountain, Glacier National Park

Toured east from Scalplock Lookout along the ridge.  Skied a variety of slopes from north, east and south aspects down to about 5000'.  Ski quality has improved over the previousl week with the accumulation of incrimental amounts of new snow from the small systems passing through.  Best snow quality was found on north, north easterly aspects.  The sun did make an appearance for a bit and the solar radiation was enough to moisten the top 2cm and create a denser layer, not a crust though.

Few things we noticed:

• Overall the snowpack is on the thin side.
• Lots of brush at mid and lower elevations.
• Depth hoar and faceted snow on all aspects and elevations within the snow pack.
• lots of wind depostited snow along the ridge lines, and cross loading on various terrain features.  The wind slabs varied from soft to hard.
• Poor snowpack structure on all aspects and elevations.  Poke around to see what unerneath your skiis.

We did find buried surface hoar (well preserved) on all aspects about 4-8cm below the suraface (see attached picture),  picture shows a couple of cms of moist (solar affected) snow, new snow, surface hoar, a 10cm layer of soft snow and then facets...  Below that it is a mixed bag depending on location.  Although in some areas it (SH) was either blown clean or the sun beat it down.  Variable....  SH maybe from the 25th?

Sunsets over GNP are always worth the ski out in the dark.