BNSF Avalanche Safety Field Observations

Location Name: 
Shed 11 Avalanche Path
Observation date: 
Thursday, January 18, 2018 - 17:00
Is this an Avalanche Observation: 
No
Observation made by: Public

Tabs

Quick Observation
  • Left the rail grade from the Java East weather station and climbed the SW ridge of Running Rabbit Mountain to the Shed 11 weather station at about 6400 feet. Dug full profile in the starting zone of the Shed 11 path. Descended the same route.
  • Light rainfall up to about 4500 feet elevation, received 0.45 inches of rainfall at the Canyon floor since 0600 this morning. Encountered a soggy wintry mix from 4500-5500 feet, then light snowfall above 5500. Above 6000 feet the snow was barely dry enough to be transported by the light to moderate NW winds. 
  • Dug on a SE facing, 30° slope at about 6400 feet in the Shed 11 avalanche path. Two separate extended column tests resulted in propagation on two different layers. The first test – ECTP18 about 50 cm down on top of the Jan 9th crust (2 cm thick at this location) and then ECTP20 about 110 cm down on top of the early December facets. Performed the second test – ECTP21 and ECTP 29 on the same two layers respectively (pit profile attached).
  • After the ECT, found a very thin layer of facets had formed on top of the Jan 9th crust.
  • Above 6000 feet there was about 10 cm of new snow by noon on top of our newest crust formed during the warm sunny weather earlier in the week.
  • NW winds were lightly loading southerly-easterly aspects above 6000 feet. Very small and thin windslabs were just beginning to form but these were unreactive to ski cuts.
  • No recent avalanche activity observed.
  • Numerous wet loose avalanches (D1-D2) had ran on sunny aspects at all elevations during the clear weather/ high pressure period earlier this week.
Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Images: 
Travel Details
Region: 
Flathead Range/Glacier National Park - John F. Stevens Canyon
Activity: 
Skiing
Snowpack Details
Snowpack and Weather Details: 
Hide Terrain
Elevation of observation: 
3500-5000 ft
5000-6500 ft
Above 6500 ft
Aspect(s) of observation: 
SE
Red Flags: 
Rain on snow
Blowing snow
Persistent Weak Layers: 
Buried
New Snow in the past 24 hours: 
5.00in.
Total Snow Depth: 
135 cm
Avalanche Details
Avalanche Details: