Public observation - Crystal Creek, Flathead Range

Location Name: 
Public observation - Crystal Creek, Flathead Range
Region: 
Flathead Range - Middle Fork Corridor
Date and time of observation: 
Sat, 04/01/2017 - 10:35
Location Map: 

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

At lower elevations, snow in treed areas did not re-freeze overnight. Above 5500 ft, there was a supportable crust on most aspects. After noon, the snow on southern aspects was warming rapidly at least up to 6000 ft. Ski penetration was about 5 cm, where earlier it was 0. No natural roller-balls were observed today, and triggered roller balls did not entrain much other snow, rarely exceeding grapefruit size. 

We dug a pit at about 6200 ft on a north-facing, sheltered area just beneath the ridge south of Crystal Creek. Total snow depth was 320 cm. The surface layer was a 5 cm thick ice crust. Beneath that, we found 15 cm of looser snow from last week's snow/wind transport. This snow varied from 4F - 1F hardness. Beneath the loose snow, there was an 18 cm thick ice crust. Beneath the second crust, we found only loose, saturated snow. 

Extended column test produced minimal results: ECTN21 @ 15 cm below surface, and ECTN22 @ 25 cm below surface. 

Snowpack photos: 
Any other comments about the observation or links to outside pages that have more info on the observation: 

Toured up Crystal Creek to the Nyack Mtn summit ridge, climbing to about 7100 ft.  We toured out the Cascadilla Creek drainage.

In addition to many older wet slide debris fields, there was evidence of recent (yesterday?) wet avalanches in the Crystal and Cascadilla drainages from the valley floor up to 6000 ft. Several slides ran all the way to the ground.

At higher elevations, we observed recent avalances on steep, lee slopes. Some of these slides appeared to be triggered by cornice falls. There are still many large cornices on exposed ridges.  

Weather Observations
Cloud Cover: 
50% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light (Twigs in motion)
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
More detailed information about the weather: 

Thin layer of high clouds early gave way to scattered mid-level layers that moved in and out. At times in the early afternoon, there was unfiltered sunshine. 

Activity: 
Skiing