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Spring break came early, WMR backcountry
Location Name:
Forecaster Observation - WMR backcountry, Whitefish Range
Observation date:
Monday, January 29, 2018 - 19:00
Is this an Avalanche Observation:
No
Observation made by:
Forecaster
Location
Tabs
Quick Observation
Warm, sunny spring-like weather gave way to high clouds and increasing wind in the afternoon.
On sunny aspects, we saw active rollerballs, pinwheels, and tree bombing from the rapidly warming snow surface. Didn't see any natural wet loose avalanches.
Despite a slabby and upside-down finish to the storm, storm slabs appeared to be unreactive where we traveled based on ski cuts and test pits. We saw only minor and shallow cracking near windloaded ridgelines.
Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Images:
Travel Details
Region:
Whitefish Range - Southern (south of Coal Creek)
Route Description:
Canyon/Skook Face/Skook Ridge area, up to 6800'
Snowpack Details
Snowpack and Weather Details:
Terrain
Elevation of observation:
5000-6500 ft
Above 6500 ft
Aspect(s) of observation:
NE
S
SW
Red Flags:
Rollerballs / pinwheels
Persistent Weak Layers:
Not observed
New Snow in the past 24 hours:
5.00in.
Total Snow Depth:
320 cm
More comments about the snowpack and weather:
Dug one test pit on a windloaded NE aspect at 6,800. The 1/20 freezing rain crust is 85 cm deep under a 4F slab. There were several non-propagating fractures (ECTN) on mid storm layers and above this crust. The Thanksgiving crust is ~195 cm deep at this location. We stomped around on several suspect rollovers with no results except some minor cracking 4" deep.
Avalanche Details
Avalanche Details:
Date and Time of Avalanche:
Monday, January 29, 2018 - 19:30
More information or comments about the avalanche:
