Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
Gorgeous day to tour up high in the Flathead Range. Our group's goals were to enjoy the beautiful day, continue documenting changes in the upper pack, and look for recent avalanche activity. • Utilized the FNBP Snow Scope Probe to rapidly collect hardness profiles from seven different locations during our tour. ◦ The selected sites ranged from ~5600' to ~7000' on multiple aspects. ◦ The data collected was proximal to a ridge line of Nyack Mountain, however we tried to pull from sites a reasonable distance downslope from the ridge crest to best represent the slopes below. ○ I've attached two of the hardness profiles to this observation. Both are from mid elevations and represent opposite sides of the compass. • General impression was that a weak upper snowpack structure can be found all around the compass and at all elevations. ◦ We were a bit surprised to find that most of our pit sites above 5800' exhibited similar structure regardless of aspect or elevation. This finding might end up reducing complexity when it comes to predicting distribution of persistent weak layers in the future. • It is also worth noting that in 5 of our 7 locations probed, We observed a thin layer of soft snow closer to the ground. ◦ This weak layer was evident at all sites between 5800' and 6600'. ◦ We estimate this might represent either the 12/7 or 12/18 PWL. ◦ Our probe profiles were finding it anywhere from 20cm-60cm above the ground, depending on aspect. • The only notable difference in regard to aspect was noted in a few handpits. ◦ Solar/Windward slopes harbor a generally thinner snowpack. ◦ The faceted grains found within the upper pack on solars are larger than the facets on slopes with a deeper pack. ◦ Greatest concern for a future persistent slab problem potential lies with these solar and windward aspects. • That said, all aspects are in trouble. Weak structure abounds. Surface facets are evident and widespread across the entire landscape. Very few signs of instability. Observed a few cracking wind slabs on isolated terrain features in very open terrain at middle elevations. Slabs were generally 2-4 inches thick and sheared off in small inconsequential pockets.
Weather
- Air Temp
- not measured
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- light
- Rain Elevation
- not measured
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Cold and sunny day in the mountains. No new precip. We observed light winds out of the west as we ascending into upper elevations. There is still a small amount of faceted surface snow available for transport on some windward slopes, and we observed light drifting along Nyack Mountain's ridge crest, building fresh slabs on east facing slopes.