Public Observation - Skook Chutes avalanche, Whitefish Range

Soft Slab Avalanche Triggered in Skook Chutes on Friday afternoon. The debris traveled the entire length of the path ( stopped just shy of the Canyon Creek road).

Slab thickness varied from 3-4 feet. Consisted of the cumulative storm snow that has fallen since Sunday. Bed surface was knife hard and very smooth.

Triggered intentionally by a ski cut in the start zone of the path. Feeling apprehensive about the start zone, I preformed multiple hard ski cuts. Theses cuts were on 35-45 degree terrain and the snow seemed to be supportive, skiing well and sluffing less than expected. I paused for a moment, still feeling untrusting of the pack, and decided to perform another long ski cut in the opposite direction. At the end of this cut, I pushed hard again to test the slope and the avalanche was triggered, fracturing behind me along the line of my ski cut before turning downward 15 feet above and to the left of me. The fracture directly below me traveled from tree island to tree island. No snow slid above me. I was able to safely decend the bed surface, debris, and the flank of the slide.

I believe that the initial cuts I performed were slightly more forceful and also on slightly steeper terrain. The slab was realatively stubborn in this regard, but I am grateful that my gut feeling told me to continue skiing cautiously. This was a close call.

Forecaster's Note: This was a close call, especially given the touchy (sensitive) conditions observed and reported the past 2-3 days. We are certainly glad the outcome involved no injuries (or worse) to the party involved or others. We urge all backcountry recreationsists to remember that CONSIDERABLE danger states "dangerous avalanche conditions exist".  Also, the tactic of ski cutting can be very dangerous and, when employed, should be carried out on low to no conseqence terrain. As trained avalanche professionals and ex-ski patrollers, we, forecasters, learned that when ski cutting one should expect the slope to avalanche. The consequences include not only getting yourself caught, but others recreating around you in the same area. Canyon Creek is probably one of the most popular recreation areas on the Flathead National Forest with both motorized and non-motorized users alike enjoying this area. Thus, it is important to recognize how skiing or snowmachining on any of the slopes at any time in this canyon can affect others.  Again, we appreciate this observation and are glad of the positive outcome.