Deep Creek Observations

Touring in the Deep Creek and Pole Creek drainages enabled us to monitor facets and observe both North and South facing terrain.  Near 7,400’ in Deep Creek on sheltered North facing terrain, we found very isolated remnants of buried surface hoar.  This layer had experienced melt-freeze cycles and was under a melt-freeze crust.  We were unable to locate this potentially problematic layer in any other location and believe the distribution to be very isolated.  In sheltered N-facing terrain, the top 25cm of snowpack generally consisted of 2-3 inches of fist hard new snow, melt freeze crust, facets, rain crust and firmer facets.  See snow pit for more detailed information. 

Weather matched the days forecast with moderate ridge winds and partially cloudy skies.  Winds gusted in the moderate range. There was still some snow available for transport, and we did see minor amounts of blowing snow. We descended into the Pole Creek drainage on a S/SE aspect around 1:30pm and found 1-2 inches of wet snow below about 8,200’. By 2:30pm this snow was beginning to refreeze.  Generally variable conditions exist with wind effect, cold snow lingering on sheltered northerly aspects, and some shallow, soft, wet snow on solar aspects.