Quick report
• Fleeting visibility with no avalanches observed in the Railway avalanche paths or in nearby terrain in GNP or the Flathead Range save for a handful of D1 dry loose above 6000’. • New snowfall over the past 24 hours totaled 5-7” on the Canyon floor with 8-10” above 6000’. • Before it began snowing again, much of the Railway terrain below 5500’ was snow free on sunny aspects. Avalanche paths such as Second Slide, Jakes, and Burnout were almost completely melted out. • Above 5500’ and in shady areas, there’s a very firm melt-freeze crust under the new snow that was supportable in skis and boots. Found this on all aspects. • Dug a snow pit in Shed 7 West on a SE aspect at 6600’, on a 36° slope. Total snow depth was 69”. We found a poor structure snowpack with two different weak layers of facets, one just under the top-most crust (11” down), and the lower one being the Jan. dry layer (26” down). Mixed results with snow pit tests. More details in pit profile. • Occasional light to moderate SW winds were drifting snow onto leeward slopes and forming a fresh crop of wind slabs. • No signs of instability such as shooting cracks or audible collapses.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 10-20
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
• Fickle weather with mostly cloudy skies and light to moderate snowfall, alternating with broken skies and some sunshine. 2-3” of additional snowfall on the Canyon floor by day’s end. • Calm to light westerly winds on the Canyon floor with light to moderate SW winds above 6000’. • Daytime highs reached the high-20s °F on the Canyon floor, but only 10-15 °F above 6500’.