Public Observation - Crystal Creek/Stanton Lake, Flathead Range

Intentionally triggered soft slab, ridge top, treeline, north easterly aspect, 35*, 6800'.  Took a bit of stomping to get it to release.  Slab was 4 finger, sitting on top of a fist hard density layrer change, overlying some small facetets and surfacehoar.  All of this was above the rain crust.  Slope was pretty well loaded from the prevailing north westerly winds.  The initial soft slab release was about 150'+wide by 30'.  The length was anywhere from 300' to 500' depending on the steepness of the terrain below the ridgle line and entrained more of the unconsolidated soft snow below that was not wind affected,  and ran until the slope angle eased off.  Not a slide that would bury you, but potentially push you through alot trees, or into a terrain trap.  As you can see in the photos, there is still a bit of hang fire that didn't go.  also wind transport was buliding soft slabs in excess of 24"+.

We didn't see any additional signs of avalanche instability, no shooting cracks, whumphing...ect.  red flags were, strong winds, visible snow transport, easily reconizable developing soft slabs, warming temps....

We did find good skiing on north, east, south aspects.  Northerly aspects were more affected by the wind on the 4th, as it seemed to have a more north/east component and we did see obvious sign of cross loading onto southerly, overlying the sun/temp/rain crust.

Best skiing was on south east aspects, as they were not as wind affected.

At 5PM, temps were in the high 30's and the powder skiing turned into slushy skiing at a bout 4600'  Crossing Stanton Lake was a work out with water logged skins and down at the Stanton Creek Lodge. It was 40 degrees F.