I travelled into Swamp Canyon to investigate recent storm totals and snowpack structure on northeasterly slopes near and below treeline. And what I found was an early season snowpack with a depth that increased dramatically as you gained elevation. In the valley bottom, at 10,600', the snowpack was about 12" deep. Four hundred feet higher at 11,000', it doubled to 24". At 11,800', it was 28" deep, and at 12,000', right at treeline, it was 34" deep. All said, new snow totals ranged widely from 6 - 20", depending on elevation. This aligns with how the last storm began, with warm temperatures and a high initial freezing level that caused a rain crust to form on most slopes up to 10,800' in this area. I noticed this rain crust disappear at around 11,000'. I also didn't see any recent avalanche activity in this area aside from a few small sluffs off of cliffs in the alpine.

Rec ski

Swamp Canyon, Ophir.

I travelled on east- and northeast-facing slopes near and below treeline.

I dug two snowpits below and near treeline. In both pits I found a right-side up snowpack, with the new snow coming in denser on the bottom and lighter on the top. This is sitting on settled denser snow that fell earlier in October. I did a compression test on a northwest-facing slope at 12,000' that resulted in a CT 13 resistant planar break, about 12" down, failing within the new snow. The new snow was not showing any slab characteristics.

It was a calm, blue sky morning, with temperatures and solar gain increasing throughout the morning. On the ski out, the snow at lower elevations had begun to moisten from the sun.