Public Observation - Snowshed Snowpit, Flathead Range

Location Name: 
Public Observation - Snowshed Snowpit, Flathead Range
Region: 
Flathead Range - Middle Fork Corridor
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 01/21/2016 - 11:30
Location Map: 

Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Observation made by: Public
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Dug a  profile on a  NE-facing 40 degree test slope just below peak 7525 on Snowshed Mountain.  HS 270cm.  Boot penetration 55cm. Two rain crust/facet sandwiches stand out in the photo, with the thin January 17 crust at 250cm and the January 12 crust at 160cm.  Most consistently reactive layer in tests was at 190cm in a layer of fist hardness crystals that may have included surface hoar and 1mm faceting mixed forms.  ECTP 23 Q1 and ECTP 24 Q1.  One compression test column failed upon isolation with a Q2 shear in the facets just below the Jan. 12 crust, but no other tests failed on this layer.  Saw no signs of natural avalanche activity.  Was not able to remotely trigger slides.  Ski cuts on the test slope produced no results.

 

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Any other comments about the observation or links to outside pages that have more info on the observation: 

Good powder skiing from summit to valley bottom. Stuck to low-angle terrain, well-anchored slopes  and short, narrow steeper pitches with good runouts. No rollerballs upon descent. One of my favorite slopes now has a few blown-down spruce trees across it.

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light (Twigs in motion)
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
More detailed information about the weather: 

Wind picked up at 13:00 to moderate from the SW and snow showers moved in (S1).  At 14:00 it was 32 degrees in Essex at 3870', with snow showers.  Light rain began at 18:00 at 34 degrees F.

Activity: 
Skiing