Traveling up the Lost Johnny drainage numerous loose wet slides were observed below 5,000 feet with roller balls covering most steep road cuts. At 5,500 feet the depth of the storm slab increased considerably from a few inches to well over a foot of new snow. Performed an ECT on a north facing slope at 5,800 feet: ECTN13 within the storm slab, ECTP19 45 cm(16 inches) from the surface. The sun crust at 5,800 was less than an inch thick while at lower elevations it was 6 or more inches thick. On the ride in, we observed cross loading and obvious wind slab formation in open avalanche paths. While no large avalanches were observed today the heavy storm slab, instabilities found in pits and increasing temperatures altered our travel plan of visiting the Swan Crest. We opted for low angle treed terrain and left the drainage early in the afternoon.
Parked at the Hungry Horse Dam and rode up a very bumpy West Side Road to the Lost Johnny Drainage.
