Public Observation - Mount Grant ski tour obs

Location Name: 
Public Observation - Tunnel/Stanton Ck. drainages, Flathead Range
Region: 
Flathead Range - Middle Fork Corridor
Date and time of observation: 
Sat, 03/19/2016 - 12:30
Location Map: 

Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Public
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Toured up Pinnacle Creek Road and the south fork of Tunnel Creek, over to Mount Grant.  Came out NW-facing slopes to the south of Stanton Creek in thick trees.  Found the mid-elevation snowpack on shady slopes to be similar to what I found on Essex Mountain last few days.  Above about 7000' we did not find a crust  in the top 120cm though we did find the large grained graupel layer down about 15-25cm.  Boot penetration was about 40-50cm.   Found quality skiing in  lower angle slopes in wind and sun sheltered slopes in the alpine.  Also found difficult travel conditions on sun-warmed new snow that slid easily on the mid-March crust, though we were in dense trees at around 5500' at that point.  Noted 5mm surface hoar in shady openings in the mid elevations.  See photos in avalanche obs. post from this tour.

Snowpack photos: 
Activity: 
Skiing