Kimmerly Basin

I traveled to a usually popular spot in the southern Whitefish Range.

• The recent storm, characterized by warm, wet, and windy conditions, triggered avalanches; however, the number and size of the slides were modest. That is partially due to the relatively small terrain features found in this part of the Whitefish Range.
• The lower elevations of the Canyon Creek trail are melting out, but the groomer has done a great job keeping the trail in good shape.
• I had the Kimmerly drainage to myself for most of a Saturday. The large parking lot was mostly empty, with fewer than 10 vehicles at any given time. 

Cracking occurred in the soft, newly formed near-surface crust. This crust was not strong enough to support my weight on skis.

Above 6000 feet, 2-3 inches of recent moist, dense snow caps a soft 2-3 inch crust.

This crust was not supportable to skis and is now insulated by the new snow. This insulation may slow down the crust's strengthening process.