Lionhead Range

We rode into Lionhead with the USGS and USFS snow chemistry, hydrology and soil science teams. At the top of Ski Hill we dug a snow pit and in stability tests we got an ECPT27, that failed on weak snow near the ground. 
From here we rode to Motor Hill via Denny Creek. While crossing below Lionhead Ridge we saw an avalanche in Airplane Bowl that likely happened a few days ago. This avalanche broke 12” deep and 100’ wide. 
Above Motor Hill we dug another snow pit on an easterly aspect at 8600’. We had unremarkable test scores of ECTX (twice) and a PST 63/100 end. We saw a similarly poor structure as our previous pit, with weak sugary snow low in the snowpack. 
This morning with better visibility we stopped at the Hebgin pull out and were able to see 3 recent avalanches along Lionhead Ridge that were likely the result of recent wind blown snow. 

Our snow pit results above and the lack of deep avalanche activity were encouraging and initiating failure is becoming more difficult. This will change with incoming snow and wind so expect the avalanche danger to increase. This storm will hopefully test the snowpack and we are curious to see if it results in widespread avalanches or is able to support the new and wind drifted snow. 

Riders spotted this large avalanche on a west-facing aspect in Targhee Creek in the Lionhead area on Saturday. Photo: K. Stahl

Observed signs of a large avalanche along West aspect of Lionhead.  I am not sure when it occured.  At this distance and my experience level I can only estimate the crown at 3-4' and 1000'+ feet wide.  It appears to have run about 650' vertical feet and the runout zone goes all the way to Targhee creek into several terrain traps. 

Took three laps at Trapper Ridge today. 5 avalanches were observed on the s-w slope well below the ridge line on Sage Peak. Whumpfing occurred on the established skin track on our second and third runs of the day. The whumpfs were confined to low elevation e-ne slopes and had less energy then many of whumpfs this season (still impressive though). We observed three avlanches on the e-ne slopes with crowns roughly 2-3 feet deep. One of the three avalanches was quite old. The others appeared to have occurred recently. Another large collapse with multiple crack was observed on an east facing slope. The collapse seems to have been incredibly close to sliding as the initial ‘crown’ was pulled away from the snow above it but did not have enough energy to I’ve more than a foot or two down slope. Must have been a degree or two from sliding??? This collapse was found around all three e-ne avalanches. 

From email: "We noticed a multitude of slides on north- and east-facing slopes, many of which seemed to have been from the prior weekend. I snapped a picture of one on the opposite side of the drainage that was a couple of feet deep. Adjacent to it was some more debris."