Quick report
Went to the Central Flathead Range to assess present conditions in the Middle Fork Corridor. • Skiing coverage was good all the way to highway level. Sporty below 4500' but manageable while on a trail. Off trail travel not recommended below 4500' • Recent snow has fallen with very little wind. No signs of recent windslab development. • Snowfall prior to Saturday evening fell relatively warm and was capped by a thin rain crust. The snow beneath this crust is still slightly moist despite the shift to colder conditions the past few days. • We dug a pit around 6700' before committing to ski a 35 degree NE facing slope. We did not find any significant cause for concern and skied the slope without mishap. None
Weather
- Air Temp
- 23
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 22
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Remarkably calm and cloudy day with the occasional light breath of wind from the west. Light snowfall on and off throughout the day with half an inch of accumulation at our car during the tour.
Snowpack
Recorded details from one snowpit on an northeast facing slope at 6700'. • HS 105cm • 22cm of recent snow since late Saturday's bout of rain (11/23). The recent snow was dry and unconsolidated. • Saturday's rain crust was evident from the canyon floor (3600') to our high point (7000'). It was nearing eggshell thickness at 7000', so we guessed that Saturdays rain line may have terminated somewhere between 7000' and 7250'. • The snow beneath the rain crust was slightly moist for 53cm beneath the crust. • Did not observe any buried surface hoar at this location. • Three ECTs performed. Two with non propagating results on hard force and one with no result (ECTX). • Two PSTs performed. Both results indicate that propagation is unlikely within the two different layers tested. ○ PST 41/100 SF down 28cm (within weak moist snow beneath the rain crust). ○ PST 36/100 SF down 75cm (slight hardness step at the top of a layer of faceting rounds) •Pit Profile attached for more details. Recorded some additional info from three handpits at lower and middle elevations. • 3600' no aspect. HS 38cm. recent snow=20cm on top of a thin rain crust. Basal crust at 9cm above the ground with moist snow above and below. • 4500' West Facing. HS 50cm. recent snow=24cm on top of a thin rain crust. Basal crust at 13cm above the ground with moist snow above and below. • 5800' West Facing. HS 59cm. recent snow=22cm on top of a thin rain crust. Basal crust at 14cm above the ground with moist snow above and below.