Fur Babies looking for that $100 prize on Mt. Furlong

Took a drive on Highway 2 up to the Continental Divide for a tour around Mt. Furlong.  This is from the 26th, but someone told me there was a $100 prize up for grabs for sending in an observation.  Day late, but still some useful information.  

• Started out the morning with a temp of 31*. 3” of new snow. Calm winds.
• From the car at 4200’ up to about 5500’ there is an abundant amount exposed vegetation, creating some interesting route finding. See picture.
• Looking for instabilities in the top 30” of the snow pack, we stopped on several slopes and performed a few compression test.
• First CT was on an east aspect at 5800’, 38*.   CT12 @ 25cm on a density change above a decomposing rain crust (not surface hoar, small facets and mixed forms).  CT19  below the rain crust on a layer of well preserved graupel, facets and mixed forms.  See picture.
• Second CT was on a westerly aspect at 6800’, 35*.  CT9 @ 10cm, CT17 @ 35cms.  Both on density layer changes.  Small facets on the deeper shear. No rain crust.
• Third was at 7300*  south west aspect, 35*.  CT7 @ 10cm.  HS was 50 cm at this location.  The bottom 10cms was composed of faceted grains, which provided no results.  The facets are gaining strength, but we decided to not ski this slope given the overall shallow depth, potential terrain features that could act as a trigger.  See picture.
• Winds were calm all day.
• Overcast the entire day.
• No precipitation.
• Warming temps throughout the day.  Freezing level climbing to 5600+.  Large pinwheels, see picture.
• We skied a variety of slopes up to 40*, north west through south west aspects. Overall the ski quality was fair.
• We saw no signs of avalanche instabilities.   Below 6000’, there is simply too much exposed vegetation and lack of snow to worry about an avalanche.  This still doesn’t take away other objective hazards though.
• 35* back at the car, at 5.

Take aways so far this year:

The Whitefish Range has the best coverage, Swans second, the Apgars and Flathead with the least.  Best to find a trail to access your ski touring destination, or a snowmachine.  The mid and lower elevation snowpack is low, we have found the best skiing above 5800’.  Not to mention the route finding difficulties through the alder.  Still fun times though.