Snow variations on Deadman run

Kick and glide across the open Deadman Ridge

Wayne's Wednesday Wild Walks old guys at work

Digging a pit to assess avalanche conditions

The expected huge winds never materialized, but the warm weather did, making snow conditions on the Deadman run in the Little Belts variable.
We had great powder snow at about 7,500 feet and above.  Below that line we ran into mashed potato snow that required me to apply glide wax twice to combat the clumped snow that clung to my skis.
This run starts at Kings Hill Pass, goes to a ridgeline to the east, traveling south to the creek bottom, covering 7 miles, gaining nearly 1,000 feet and losing 2,000 feet.
When the snow was good we could make great telemark turns.
When it was soft and heavy we had to make sure we didn't bury a ski and twist a knee.
This run has remarkable views of the Little and Big Belt mountain ranges, the Castles and the Crazies, with glimpses of the Elkhorns and Rocky Mountain Front.
Curious about Avalanche conditions we dug a snow pit and found pretty stable snow on a four foot base.  There was an unstable lawyer at about 15 inches from the top where new snow had yet to bind with older snow. There was a tad of sugar near the ground.

For more photos, and detailed map, CLICK HERE.

Working our way carefully over an avalanche chute