Public Observation - Red Meadow area, Northern Whitefish Range

We saw multiple small wet slides on all aspects except north.  The sloughs looked like storm snow.  The sun was intense when it was out and rapidly transformed the snow. We saw one cornice triggered slide in the Whitefish Mt area. Even from a distance you could see ground in what I guessed was the impact area though it could have been a step down event too.  The snow had an inch thick breakable crust up to the 6,000 ft level in the north facing trees. It transitioned to dense powder above that and was good skiing, so we skied above that elevation.  On our descent to the road the lower crust had changed to goopy mush and required tactical skiing.  We had no slumping or cracking even on roll overs.  There was very thin coverage on the first 4 miles of the road from Olney and I don't see it lasting much longer.  There was about 10" of new snow at 7,200 ft.