I can't keep up!

OK, we got a decent dump from the last winter storm warning as the roadcams from Lolo Pass, Lost Trail Pass North and South views and Kootenay Pass show (compare to Dec 12th and Dec 9th posts. The signs are getting shorter:)). I should mention that we basically had a series of at least 4 days of Winter Storm Warnings starting on the 24th shown below going through yesterday evening the 29th. The mountains recieved a lot of moisture. Snotel data from 1 am December 25th to December 30th 10am are as follows: Saddle Mountain - snow depth went from 38.00 to 54.20" with 2.60" snow water equivalent (SWE), Twin Lakes - snow depth increased from 42.50 to 67.10" with 5.00" SWE!!!, and Lolo Pass snow depth increased from 23.70 to 46.00" with 4.00" SWE. Thus, it appears about 2 feet of increase to the snow depth with the snow from the 28th being of higher density with the warmer temps. High temps were on the 28th at 35F for Lolo and Twin Lakes and 32F on the 29th for Saddle Mountain. Also, Lost Trail recieved at least 34 inches from the storm cylcle. I lost track around Christmas. Avalanche dangers are high with this higher density snow on top of the weak now faceted snow from the cold spell that hit two weeks ago. There were reports from Tom of on piste avalanches prior to this latest storm in areas that had been bombed over in northern Idaho including one that went to the ground at Silver Mountain. He said their snowpack is more typical to Colorado which has created problems for Schweitzer trail skiing because even though they had a 60" snow pack it is too low in water content to sufficiently cover all the rocks and alders growing on the trails that the normally higher water content snow they get covers. Patrollers there claim it hasn't been like this since '81 and they are hoping for rain to shore up the stability and base. Obviously we probably are facing the same unless this newer wetter snow somehow provides some density and stability.

We skied the Vista Loop at Chief Joseph Pass Saturday the 27th in the snow. There was maybe 8 inches new. While we were there it was very cloudy and there were periods of moderate snow while with a lot of wind from the southwest. I noticed that off the groomed trail one would sink quite far into the snow through a breakable layer about a foot down. Underneath the breakable layer the snow seemed extremely weak and faceted just as others had reported. We took a break at the warming hut which I had never actually been inside. It was very warm and cozy and they even had hot chocolate like all true warming huts should. Olin really enjoyed himself especially the hot chocolate. He met a 3 year old named Andrew and they enjoyed banging on the fire extinguisher and rolling on the floor. After our rest, we tried to get Olin to ski back towards the car from the hut but it was too windy and snowy so we put him back in the Chariot and glided back to the car. I wanted to get back out Sunday for a day at Lost Trail but Kristie needed to work on her paper and Olin was too tired but fidgety for me to feel like he would stand another stint stuck in the Chariot in the snow. As it turned out Kristie spoke with some friends who sais I shouldn't feel bad as they skied Lost Trail Christmas day and Snow Bowl Saturday and said that anything off the groomed/skied areas was not good as you'd hit something or break through a crust. Claire said Lost Trail on Friday the 26th and Sunday the 28th was good both days though. So perhaps Sunday would have been nice but I had a great day with Olin making a super wet snowman in the back yard and splashing in puddles.

Through the cycle the valley remained cloudy recieving a little bit of snow christmas morning with some snow showers over subsequent days until it started pooring rain sometime early in the morning on the 28th and continued through most of the day. Then colder air infiltrated again sometime early in the morning on the 29th and we were greeted to falling snow with 8 inches or snow when we got up Monday morning which was coating all the trees in a very picturesque classic way. The snow changed to groppel/freezing rain by lunch before changing back to snow as the cold front swept through in the evening pushing out the last remnants of the storm. Today snow clouds remain over the mountains and another Winter Storm Watch is in effect for later tonight and tomorrow!