Mt. Brown

We went up Mt. Brown to look for evidence of a recent avalanche cycle, get more info about the Groundhog Day crust, and look at conditions prior to the next snowfall event.

• Few signs of instability today on Mt. Brown. Hard to tell if there were any recent slab avalanches on the surrounding terrain, a few recent sluffs. Some isolated, localized cracking at our skis. Inconclusive snow pit test results. Then, bam! a deep rumbling collapse on the Groundhog crust that shook the snow out of trees for 50' around us.
• The 2/2, Groundhog crust was found between 4800' and ~6500' and was buried between 20 and 30 inches deep. The one collapse was the only feedback we got from it today, including multiple snowpack tests.
• Sunny aspects below ~5200' had developed a sun crust. Above that elevation sunny slopes had moist snow at the surface with dry snow below (sun crust in the making).
• 1 to 5mm surface hoar was widespread between ~5200' and the Lookout at 7400'. The sun was breaking it down on south aspects. Previous winds above 6800' had knocked a lot of it over.
• Sunny day. Calm to light east winds. From the lookout we could see blowing snow across the peaks of the northern Flathead Range (also from E wind).
• We skied mostly low angled, well anchored and uniform terrain and occasional pitches to 35 degrees with no problems to manage.