Starting to fill in

I traveled with FOFAC board member and avalanche educator Jenny to the Island Range of Glacier Park for an early-season observation. 

• The snow depth ranged from a scant 6 inches at 3900 feet to 14 inches at 5000 feet and around 30 inches above 6000 feet.
• This area, like many, was affected by the strong windstorm several weeks ago, making travel a bit humorous.
• The snow structure on north aspects above 6000 feet consisted of a thick stout slab of snow which comprised the lower 2/3 of the pack. This slab is supportable to foot travel and, as a bonus, keeps your skis from sinking into the basal brush.
• On southerlies, no such luck. The slab is thinner, weaker, and not nearly so supportable.
• We found lovely low-density powder in wind-sheltered areas. Light to moderate westerly winds formed soft slabs on the snow surface in locations open to the wind.
• Our layer of concern on north and south was a thin, freezing rain crust capping low-density snow 6-8 inches below the surface. This layer failed in Extended Column Tests and under the weight of a skier.