Observation Date: 02/16/2014

Route/Location:
Up Bass Creek to the Lappi Lake summer trail, then up to Lappi Peak via the west side of the Lappi Lake basin.

Weather:
Snowing heavily, with the occasional sucker hole.

Wind:
Gusts to 40mph above thick timber and on ridgelines. New snow was being transported copiously, and wind slabs were presents where snow was being deposited.

New Snow: 6-12″

Snow Density:

Avalanche Activity:
We kicked off a slide on a small but steep convexity just above Lappi Lake. The failure was on the new snow interface, and was perhaps 30cm deep. The crown ran along the entire convexity, which was around 30 meters long, and occured where the slope rolled from 20 degrees to around 35 (but only for 50 vertical feet). the triggering skier’s tracks formed the lateral edge of the slide. Aspect was NE. We also a large natural crown on a NW face above Lappi Lake, which had initiated on a steep and rocky headwall.

Other Comments:
Skiing in the Bitterroots right now is exceptionally high quality on the right terrain and exceptionally dangerous on the wrong terrain.

Observer: Douglas Brinkerhoff