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No Lack-o-yeehas
Location Name:
Forecaster Obseration: Smoky Range
Observation date:
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 - 20:30
Is this an Avalanche Observation:
No
Observation made by:
Forecaster
Location
Tabs
Quick Observation
Wandered through big spruces in the southern Whitefish Range.
Saw no evidence of recent avalanches, felt no whumpfing, no shooting cracks.
Adjusted our descent route to a planar slope after a large column test produced propagating results on soft, weak facets below the 12/9 crust.
Found a thin (1-2 cm) rain crust (12/22) below about 5900-6000 feet.
Above that elevation, found a 3-7 cm thick would-be crust that probably composed of dense/ moist that fell at the same time as the rain. Hand shears failed cleanly in soft snow under this would-be crust, and it failed with inconsistent results in large column tests.
Dunes and drifts near ridgeline were covered by the most recent snow, but little evidence of wind effect below ridge.
The most recent snow (after the 12/22 cold front) appears to have been imported from somewhere else. Colorado or Utah, maybe.
Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Images:
Travel Details
Region:
Whitefish Range - Southern (south of Coal Creek)
Route Description:
5700-6800 ft
Activity:
Skiing
Snowpack Details
Snowpack and Weather Details:
Terrain
Elevation of observation:
5000-6500 ft
Above 6500 ft
Aspect(s) of observation:
N
NE
E
SE
NW
Persistent Weak Layers:
Facets or Faceted Crust
Total Snow Depth:
120
More comments about the snowpack and weather:
Cold. Light winds, clouds on summits. 2-8" low density snow on 12/22 rain crust. 12/9 crust at 6670' SE-facing slope ~5 cm thick, P hard, with 4F-hard ~1mm facets w distinct corners below it. ECTP 17, 22. 12/9 crust K-hard and 10-15 cm thick at 6200' same aspect yesterday, with no failure. Inconsistent results on Old/ recent snow interface 20-25 cm below surface: ECTN8, ECTP12, planar shears in hand blocks, no whumpfs or cracking.
Wind Speed:
Light (Twigs in motion)
Wind Direction:
Southwest
Air temperature:
Below Freezing
Sky Cover:
Obscured by fog, etc (X)
