Public Observation - Wahoo Creek, Flathead Range

Location Name: 
Public Observation - Wahoo Creek, Flathead Range
Region: 
Flathead Range - Middle Fork Corridor
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 01/09/2017 - 17:00
Location Map: 

Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks, or collapsing
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Observation made by: Public
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

We toured into Wahoo knowing that recent weather and loading would make things touchy. Lower elevations, perhaps up to 5000ft, saw micro natural storm slab releases on steep planes and convex rollovers. Skiing down through these elevations, we noted that the new snow was propogating and cracking with much more cohesiveness than the higher elvations where we dug our pit. We dug at 5800ft on the north aspect below the ridgeline that separates the  Cascadilla and Wahoo drainages. The light, fluffy, angry inch sandwiched between 25cm of storm snow and the rest of the pack produced impressive, sensitive results (CT1 Q3, ECTP1 Q1 SC). Despite this, at elevations above 5000ft, we didn't witness any cracking or slab movement in the same layer while skiing it on north aspects.We dropped a number of cornices off the ridge into Cascadilla to mixed results: some entrained soft snow for slow moving slough, some triggered thin wind slabs, and some just slumped where they fell.  

Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

Wahoo Ob

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate (Small trees sway)
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: 

The first few hours of our tour, it was coming down (S2-S4). Around 11, the snow turned off, winds shifted from SW to N around noon, then again switched to S at about 1330. We heard and felt moderate gusts and witnessed plenty of active transport. By the end of the day, it was snowing again. 

Activity: 
Skiing
Precip Rate: 
S2; moderate snowfall, 2cm/hour