Ash Creek Butte and Pilgrim Creek Sno Park

One can currently snowmobile from Pilgrim Creek Sno Park to the Ash Creek Butte area via the National Forest 19 Road and Tri Forest Snowmobile Trails 41 and 42. No trails have been groomed. Ride with caution, as the snowpack is still thin and many fallen trees exist across the roads. All downed trees along the observed route have been cut out or have a ride-around option. However, on less-used trails, downed trees may inhibit travel. Carrying a handsaw is recommended. 

A shooting crack and blocking were observed on a convex pocket of wind deposited snow. Roller balls became more active on steep, sunlit aspects as the day progressed. These were the two main signs of instabilities observed. Three old avalanche crowns were spotted among the terrain in the northeast bowl of Ash Creek Butte. These avalanches likely ran on Monday, January 5^th, during a storm period. All slides looked to be D2 or smaller.

Leaving Pilgrim Creek, 2-6 inches of snow covers the NF 19 Road. Tire ruts and small patches of dry and melting-out pavement are present, but not too bad. Moving forward, snowmelt will likely develop larger and more continuous stretches of dry pavement.

Snow coverage, depth, and conditions improved significantly once past the Ash Creek crossing and on the Swap Creek Road and 41 and 42 trails. At 5,200 feet, the total snow depth was 17 inches. At a high point of 6,900 feet, the total snow depth was 57 inches.

Throughout our travels, signs of avalanche danger and instabilities were minimal. However, a shooting crack and active roller balls mean not to let your guard down if choosing to travel through avalanche terrain. Warm temperatures are causing snow surfaces on southerly aspects to slowly soften, and old isolated wind slabs are becoming less likely to trigger.

The east side of the forecast zone still holds “low-tide” conditions, but riding remains reasonable. On the surface, 4-6 inches of dry, low-density snow exists. Beneath the surface snow, a widespread crust can be found on all aspects near and below treeline. It’s thickest and most supportable on southerly aspects (~roughly one inch thick) and thinnest and least supportable on northerly aspects (~1 centimeter thick). Beneath the crust is older, dry snow that gets denser with depth. (see photo)

Recent winds have textured and affected much of the exposed terrain near treeline. Among the steep and rocky northeast bowl of Ash Creek Butte, pockets of terrain looked wind loaded with a lens-shaped appearance. Sheltered and shady areas below treeline held pristine snow quality, with steep, southerly aspects becoming damp due to sun exposure.