Flathead Range & Glacier NP

Generally safe avalanche conditions exist. If entering avalanche-prone terrain, travel one at a time while keeping a spotter in a safe location. Triggering an avalanche is unlikely, not impossible. 

Relatively benign weather will do little to change the avalanche conditions today. A weak disturbance may bring a trace - two inches of snow to the forecast region.

Friday's storm favored the Swan Range with roughly four to six inches of snow. Other parts of the forecast area received anywhere from one to four inches. Recent observations primarily described a Loose Dry avalanche problem. A few riders noted that they were required to manage their sluff in steep terrain. This will be less of a problem today, as recent snow continues to settle. 

Despite today being LOW danger, there are several isolated problems to pay attention to. Given the current snowpack and weather conditions, these problems are unlikely, however they are worth noting due to their destructive potential. 

• A poor snowpack structure exists in the Flathead and Whitefish Ranges, as well as southern Glacier National Park. Reported avalanches failed on east and north-facing slopes above 6500 feet in the past month. The last human-triggered slide was on March 8th. Common trigger points are where the snowpack is thin and variable. Thin areas often form near rocky outcroppings or ribs. Hedge your bets by sticking to slopes that appear to have deep, uniform snow depths and give rocky areas a wide berth. 
• Cornices have begun to unroot themselves and we have few reported failures. Here is a photo of what it looks like when a cornice begins to "unroot." Give the edge of ridgelines a wide berth and travel quickly under corniced ridgelines. Tumbling down a slope with a bus-sized cornice could have a fatal outcome. 
• Glide cracks opened up throughout the forecast area. These look like "brown frowns" and are easy to identify (photo here). This week's forecasted cool temperatures should limit glide failure. However, glide avalanches are notoriously challenging to predict and can occur at any point in winter or spring. The only way to manage this problem is to avoid traveling beneath these features. 

FOFAC Event: March 30th, 2023– Whether chasing tan lines, big lines, or both, you'll learn something valuable from FAC Lead Forecaster Mark Dundas about spring avalanche problems, how they differ from winter problems, and how to manage them. We will also discuss current conditions and concerns (or lack thereof!) with our spring snowpack. Enjoy a cold brew from Bias Brewing and a scoop from Sweet Peaks Ice Cream. The event is free and open to everyone. Begins at 6 pm.