Skip to main content
Flathead Avalanche Center
Responsive Links
Advisories
Observations
Donate
Forecasts
Avalanche Forecasts
Whitefish Range
Swan Range
Flathead Range and Glacier N. P.
Archives
Sign up for emailed forecasts
Tutorials
How to read the Forecast
Avalanche Problems
The Danger Scale
Observations
Observations
Field Observations
Observations prior to Oct.1 2022
Incidents
Snowpack Tracker
Submit Observation
Weather
Western MT Backcountry Weather Forecast
Weather Station Table
Weather Station Map
Education
Classes and Events
Course List
Event Calendar
Class Details and Registration
Northern Rockies Snow & Avy Workshop
Mentorship
Videos
Throttle Decisions Video Series
Local Awareness Videos
Online Resources
Avalanche Encyclopedia
Avalanche Canada tutorial
Know Before You Go Online Course
Backcountry Ascender - Motorized Specific
BCA Tutorial
FOFAC Recorded Classes
About
Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center
FOFAC
How To Help
Sponsors
Donate
Flathead Avalanche Center
Blog
Staff
Contact
Annual Reports
Donate
Breaking trail once more...
Location Name:
Flathead Range/Essex
Observation date:
Monday, January 31, 2022 - 12:00
Is this an Avalanche Observation:
No
Observation made by:
Public
Tabs
Quick Observation
Our party toured to 7200' in the Flathead Range to enjoy the new snow
The morning hours were hovering around the freezing mark, but with the frontal passage temperatures dropped and stayed below freezing for the rest of the day (right-side-up storm)
Around 6000', moderate snowfall rates accompanied moderate-high winds thus creating reactive wind slabs (1'-2' thick) along leeward ridgeline slopes. The slabs were collpasing (audibly) on buried weak layers (presumably near surface facet/crust combo) and we could initiate shooting cracks about 10'-15' out.
We skied a couple laps in low angle, well-anchored terrain on a SE aspect (7200-6000). Storm slab was present at almost all locations above 6000' and made for bouncy, pleasureable turns.
Below 6000', storm totals ranged around 8" and a layer of graupel was noted atop the most recent crust. No concerns as sluff wasn't an issue skiing steeper slopes lower down due to the storm coming in warm.
