Saving the Daylight

Location Name: 
BNSF Avalanche Safety - Running Rabbit Mtn GNP
Observation date: 
Sunday, March 13, 2022 - 16:30
Is this an Avalanche Observation: 
No
Observation made by: Public

Tabs

Quick Observation
  • Ascended the ridge between the Shed 11 and Shed 10.7 avalanche paths to the Shed 11 weather station. Continued to the top of Path 1163 at 7200’. Descended the Shed 10.7 and Path 1163 area.
  • No recent avalanche activity observed.
  • Both Shed 11 and Shed 10.7 slid around March 1st. These were relatively small wet loose slides, Destructive size 1.5 of 5 that terminated well above the grade.
  • The debris from the early March avalanches in Path 1163 was a little larger than estimated from the Hwy, Destructive size 2.5 of 5. It terminated at 4500’ elevation, or about 300 vertical feet above, and 800 lineal feet from the grade.
  • Below about 5500’ elevation the snowpack surface was a firm and supportable melt-freeze crust in the AM, but this had softened by early afternoon.
  • At about 5500’ there is 1-2” of more recent snow on top of the early March rain/melt-freeze crust and by 6500’ there is about a foot. A sometimes-breakable sun crust capped this newer snow on sunny aspects.
  • The buried early March crust is nearly 3” thick at 6400’, but quickly thins to less than half an inch by 6800’ and is gone by 7200’. Immediately above this crust there is a layer of weak faceted snow 1-3” thick.
  • Dug a hasty pit in the uppermost reaches of Path 1163 at 7200’ on an easterly aspect. Snow depth was 71”. The layer of faceted snow noted above was 15” below the surface here and resting on a 1F hard windslab instead of the early March crust. ECTN15 and CT21 Q2 on this faceted layer.
  • Minimal wind-loading observed on the tour. Older wind slabs were locked down under the mentioned sun crust and unreactive to ski cuts.
  • Overcast or obscured skies with light to moderate snowfall beginning around 0900.
  • As temperatures warmed the rain/snow line crept up to about 5500’. 1-2” of snow had accumulated over the skin track at upper elevations by early afternoon.
  • Calm winds on the Canyon floor and light SW winds at upper elevations.
  • Air temperatures reached the high-30s °F on the Canyon floor and the mid-20s °F above 6000’ by the afternoon.
Travel Details
Region: 
Flathead Range/Glacier National Park - John F. Stevens Canyon
Activity: 
Skiing