Forecaster Observation - Red Meadow, Northern Whitefish Range

We traveled into the Red Meadow area in the northern Whitefish Range to assess recently formed wind slabs and the effect of the recent warm temperatures on the snow pack. The ride in was on a firm crust with 5-8 cm of recent snow on top. We observed debris from wet avalanches (slabs and loose snow) that occured over the past 2 weeks at low to mid-elevations. All of the observed activity in the upper elevations was relatively small loose, wet avalanches. 

We skinned up the East ridge on Lake Mountain and dug a snow pit on a southeast facing slope at 5500 feet which was in the same elevation band as several of the recent slab avalanches we observed. Our suspect layer was the firm, Feb. 10th crust that was about 75 cm (2.5 feet) from the surface. All of the snow in the upper snow pack was wet, and there was obvious pooling of recent rain and melt water on this crust. 

At 6500 feet we dug additional snow pits on a north and south aspect. The structure was similar in both with a robust, supportable crust near the surface that was about 20 cm (8 inches) thick.  At this elevation only the upper 60 cm was affected by recent rain and melt-water. On the north aspect we found 20 cm of wind drifted snow on top of the near surface crust. Though there was no cohesive slab the warming temperatures made the recent snow heavy and moist and roller balls would trigger loose, wet avalanches on that smooth crust.