Human Factors on Mount Marston

Location Name: 
Mt. Marston
Observation date: 
Sunday, February 20, 2022 - 01:15

Is this an Avalanche Observation: 
Yes
Observation made by: Public

Tabs

Quick Observation

Lots of snow and blowing snow with gusty winds picking up by 3pm. Storm slab was cohesive and seems to be sitting atop a crust that was only to be found on certain slopes (namely, southeast). 

Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Images: 
Travel Details
Region: 
Whitefish Range - Southern (south of Coal Creek)
Activity: 
Skiing
Snowmobiling
Snowpack Details
Snowpack and Weather Details: 
Red Flags: 
Avalanches from the past 2 days
Shooting cracks
More than a foot of new snow or heavy snowfall rates (>1"/hr)
Blowing snow
New Snow in the past 24 hours: 
14.00in.
More comments about the snowpack and weather: 
Our sled tracks were nearly invisible by the time we exited. Approximately 4-6 inches fell overnight and another foot or so while we were out touring.
Avalanche Details
Avalanche Details: 
Date and Time of Avalanche: 
Sunday, February 20, 2022 - 13:15
Number of avalanches: 
3
Failure Plane/Weak Layer: 
New/old snow interface
More information or comments about the avalanche: 

Accidentally triggered a slide on a couple of convex slopes (you know, the kind they mentioned avoiding in the forecast) that tipped up into the upper 30's for slope angle. In the more significant of the two, the storm snow, which seemed to be sitting on a supportable crust on certain aspects in the zone we explored, released, propagating about 100' across the slope. The slide ran at a boot's depth, without much impact, never gaining much momentum or speed. We estimated the crown to be between 6 and 10 inches. 

Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
skier
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
36
Aspect: 
Southeast
Starting Elevation: 
above-treeline
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D1 Relatively harmless to people.
Relative Size: 
R2 Small
Crown Height: 
Less than 1 ft
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
100ft.
Avalanche Width (Average width): 
100ft.
Hide People Involved
Number of people caught: 
1
Number of partial burials: 
0
Number of full burials: 
0
Avalanche Location: