South of Cooke City

Expected to find a different snowpack in the area southwest of Cooke/Silvergate, but once again we found deep (HS 235cm), strong, stable snow. 

Digging more than a foot or two into the snowpack is a chore. Even the north-facing snow below 8000' is incredibly dense and supportive. 

It seems like recent warm weather really helped consolidate the snowpack.

Don't take this good stability for granted - Even though the snowpack is generally stable, there is still trouble to be found in more consequential terrain. In one area, we did find some upside-down snow. It seemed stable, but in very steep terrain, even a small pocket releasing can cause trouble. We also witnessed a falling cornice today that washed some snow through rocks. Be aware of what's above you.