Manto nivoso

Skook Ridge

Mark DundasWhitefish Range
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Quick report

Collapsing
isolated

We visited the site of a remotely triggered avalanche that occurred on 2/13/25. The reporting party submitted an excellent observation with great images. Please take a look at that for more information.

  • The slide was triggered while the party traversed a 30-degree slope. A collapse occurred, which initiated an avalanche above the party on a 40-degree slope. 
  • The failure layer was a 6 cm thick layer of weak facets.
  • The avalanche slid on a strong (1F), slick crust. The debris did not appear to step down below the crust. 
  • Only a tiny portion of the steep face slid, and there was potential for a much larger slide.
  • The Canyon Creek sidecountry was full of recreationists taking advantage of lift-served backcountry and snowmobile-assisted laps. 
One loud collapse was intentionally triggered by stomping in wind-stiffened snow. This resulted in long radiating shooting cracks above me but no avalanche.

Weather

Air Temp
15
Cloud Cover
overcast
Wind Loading
moderate
Rain Elevation
0
Recent Snowfall
15
Snow Avail For Transport
large amounts

Morning weather: Light snowfall tapered by noon with light winds and no blowing snow. Afternoon weather: Snowfall and wind increased with sections of the skin track along the ridge blown in by 2:00 p.m.

Snowpack

Crown profile of 2/13/25 remotely triggered slide on an east aspect at 6600 feet. 

  • HS=135 cm. This slope slid earlier this year
  • 15 cm recent 5% density new snow resting on a 35 cm 1F hard wind-stiffened slab. Beneath was a 6 cm layer of weak facets resting on a 2 cm melt-freeze crust (1F).
  • ECTP6 x 2