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The dumpsters are closed
Location Name:
Central Flathead Range
Observation date:
Friday, January 10, 2020 - 21:00
Is this an Avalanche Observation:
No
Observation made by:
Public
Location
Tabs
Quick Observation
Short afternoon tour up to 5800 feet in the Flathead Range in treed, generally wind-protected terrain.
Weather was overcast with light snow and calm or light south winds.
A sometimes supportable melt freeze crust exists up to about 4500 feet under the top 3-4 inches of recent powder. Above that elevatation there's deep trail-breaking 20-50 cm, in the storm snow from earlier this week.
Small test slopes were unreactive to ski cuts.
No avalanche activity observed.
Dug a test pit on a NE aspect at 5760 feet, HS=180 cm. No propagating results with an ECT. A compression test yielded CT25, SP with the overlying block sliding into the pit at 80 cm on a thin layer of buried NSF sitting on top of the stout melt-freeze crust formed back around Christmas.
Travel Details
Region:
Flathead Range - Middle Fork Corridor
Route Description:
To 5800 feet
Activity:
Skiing
Snowpack Details
Snowpack and Weather Details:
Terrain
Elevation of observation:
3500-5000 ft
5000-6500 ft
Aspect(s) of observation:
N
NE
E
Persistent Weak Layers:
Facets or Faceted Crust
Wind Speed:
Light (Twigs in motion)
Wind Direction:
South
Air temperature:
Below Freezing
Sky Cover:
Overcast (OVC)
Highest Precipitation Rate:
Light Snowfall (S1)
