Whoosh

Went to upper elevations in southern Glacier NP to see how recent snow, winds, and cooling temperatures have influenced conditions. We found a few yards of booosh, a little stretch of moosh, and a month's worth of wooosh. 

• Blowing snow was visible on peaks and upper elevation ridges mid-morning, including Nyack Mountain and peaks in GNP. Similar plumes were visible early-mid afternoon on summits in Stevens Canyon and near Marias Pass.
• We enountered gusty westerly winds on our ascent, with strong winds (25+ mph) more or less constant above about 6000 feet. 
• The winds were scouring and blowing snow off exposed slopes, but we found few drifts more than 3 inches thick, and no slabs (S-SW-W). A ski cut didn't even produce cracking on the lee (southerly) side of a corniced, very exposed ridge with a large fetch and obvious blowing snow. We did not, however, venture onto easterly slopes, where drifts and slabs were likely better developed. 
• The near-surface snow was refrozen and supportable this morning. The 1-3" thick crust caps a up to 6 inches of softer, unfrozen melt-freeze grains. High-albedo new snow from Sunday limited radiation inputs into the older snow. 
• On steep slopes exposed to direct sun, the new snow was getting moist between about 6000 and 6500 feet. Between about 5500 and 6000 feet, the new snow was sticky and wet. It was moist in the trees at lower elevations, but not sticky. We saw no rollerballs and turns on 30-35 degree, southwesterly slopes produced no rollerballs. 

Wind noise made it hard to communcate, even with radios. Ski crampons were crucial at upper elevations. On slopes undisturbed by the wind, skiing was smoooth and consistent.