Public Observation - Skookaleel Ridge, Whitefish Range

Location Name: 
Public Observation - Skookaleel Ridge, Whitefish Range
Region: 
Whitefish Range - Southern (south of Coal Creek)
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 02/05/2017 - 13:05
Location Map: 

Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks, or collapsing
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Rapid warming
Observation made by: Public
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

With the recent loading and warming, the snowpack was decidedly upside down while skinning up. The many artifical benches created by the bulldozed skid roads in this area offered many test slopes to see how the snow was reacting on steeper, S to SW aspects. Cracks would form in the convex rollover on the top, then increase in size as we moved uphill, eventually breaking up as seen in the video. They slid on the most recent melt/freeze crust. 

Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

High avalanche danger outside Whitefish Mountain Resort, 2/5/17

Weather Observations
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm (No air motion)
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
Activity: 
Skiing