Forecaster Observation - Skookoleel Ridge, Whitefish Range

We decided to avoid the breakable crust and rain soaked surface snow at the low and mid elevations and chose an easy upper elevation tour in the backcountry near WMR instead. The focus of our tour was to determine near surface conditions including: 

• Overnight new snow amounts and density along with recent wind loading
• State of the February 9 rain crust
• Instabilities within layers deposited by last weeks storms
• Instabilities associated with the January 19 rain crust/facet layers

We toured up to Skookoleel Ridge and dug one mid elevation pit on a southwesterly aspect in the Skook chutes and one upper elevation north facing pit.

• Up to 4" of dense snow had fallen overnight at upper elevation locations with 1-2" at mid elevations. Despite the dense nature of the snow wind speeds had been strong enough to transport the new snow.
• The February 9 rain crust was actually 2 thin crusts sandwiched around a thin layer of facets. The lower crust also capped a thin layer of facets. Stability test results showed easy failure in both layers of facets, however no propagation was observed.
• We found a thin (1 cm) melt freeze crust located within the February 4-6 storm layer. We observed failure beneath this crust on a thin layer of facets with moderate force. No propagation was noted.
• The January 19 rain crust and associated facet layers were buried approximately 1 meter from the snow surface. No results were observed on this layer. 
• Our mid elevation pit revealed that most layers were moist and our temperature profile proved that the pack at that location was nearly isothermic.
• Our upper elevation pit presented slightly drier layers of snow, however they were approaching a moist water content.