Trip Planning for Cooke City Area

This wet loose avalanche is a great example of where they often occur. Rocks absorb extra heat from the sun and can quickly melt and destabilize the snow. Either move under areas like this early in the morning (as we did), or if you have to travel under them later in the day, move quickly.

Near Cooke City on 4/19 skiers triggered a dry loose avalanche and a small wind slab avalanche. The wind slab broke in a drifted pocket near the base of cliffs, 3-6" deep x 10' wide. Northeast aspect, 10,200'. Photo: GNFAC

Screenshot of winds from Lulu Pass wind station during the storm.

Old wind slab, South East on Scotch Bonnet. Photo: Anonymous

Apr 7 A Skier triggered a 6”x20’ wide wind slab on a N aspect at 9,800’.

Apr 7 A Skier triggered a 6”x20’ wide wind slab on a N aspect at 9,800’.

On Apr 7 Skiers triggered D1-D1.5 wet loose on SE aspect at 10,000’.

Apr 5 Wind slabs were still reactive. We triggered 3 small, 3-8" deep x 5-15' wide, hard wind (1F+) slabs on convex test slopes well below the main ridgelines. 9,800', NE aspects. Photo: GNFAC

Apr 5 Wind slabs were still reactive. We triggered 3 small, 3-8" deep x 5-15' wide, hard wind (1F+) slabs on convex test slopes well below the main ridgelines. 9,800', NE aspects. Also triggered one softer (4F) wind slab just below the high ridgeline, 10,200', NE aspect. 10-15' wide x 6-8" deep (Pictured). Photo: GNFAC

Apr 5 We saw a couple 3-6" deep natural wind slab avalanches and a few dry loose slides that looked to have happened within the last 24 hours. Photo: GNFAC

Wind slab near Cooke City from yesterday.  Intentionally triggered.  North aspect, 10,100'.  1' deep, 20' wide. Photo: B Fredlund

Skier took a left turn under cornices to scrub speed and released a 6-10" windslab 40' wide which ran 10' at most. Super soft and easy to ski through. Photo: J Lee

From email: "Ski touring near Cooke City today we intentionally triggered a storm slab/ wind slab on a steep north aspect around 9600'.  It was about 6" deep, and 30' wide." Photo: B Fredlund

Today we noticed these natural small wind slabs on Mt Henderson. Photo: J Mundt

Understanding Avalanche Safety Preparedness – 5-Minute Survey for Motorized Users

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As we rode, we dug a few snowpits looking for the weak layer that we found yesterday buried about 2 feet deep. While we were able to find this layer, we only got propagation in one of three tests (ECTP 26, E aspect, 9070'). Photo: GNFAC

We noted one avalanche on the Fin that likely occurred yesterday or early this morning from a wind slab or cornice fall. Photo: GNFAC

Photo of a recent natural avalanche north of Cooke City, observed today (3/23/25).  A S, SE aspect in Sheep Creek at about 9000'.  Photo: B Fredlund

Today we saw a D2 slab avalanche at Goose Lake, E facing, 10800 ft. We estimate this avalanche to have ran in the early hours of 3/17. Photo: BPG

No fresh avalanche activity observed.  Attached is a photo of the only sign of a recent avalanche we could find.  (an old crown on an East aspect at 9600'). Photo: B Fredlund

Avalanche on the SE face of Scotch Bonnet in Tragenic Bowl and one on the NE face of Wolverine. They both broke 2-4’ deep. The avalanche on Wolverine slide aprx 1500’. Both were in wind loaded areas at upper elevations. Photo: BPG

"Today I triggered a D1 dry loose avalanche on a E facing 35 degree slope, 9300 ft on Mt Henderson. The new snow is very low density and is not bonding well to the old interface. I also observed some more dry loose activity/small wind slabs on Sheep Mt, NE facing, 10400 ft."

Near Cooke City on Mar 14 there was 6" of new snow and wind was calm, even along the ridge near regularly wind-loaded slopes, and there was no snow blowing off ridgelines. The photo shows a slope that normally receives a lot of wind effect, but the new snow is unaffected indicating the wind has been calm. Photo: GNFAC

Dug a pit on a northeast facing slope, 9300' (profile and pic attached) near Cooke City. Snow depth was 7-8 feet. 6" of new snow was right side up. Below the new snow was a soft (1F-) melt-freeze crust with soft decomposing and slightly faceted particles below. ECTN13 broke below the crust. Below that the snowpack was 1F to P+ hard and lacked weak layers. The Feb 4 dirt layer was clearly visible. Photo: GNFAC

Today I observed multiple small wind slab avalanches off Woody Ridge. NE and E facing, 10000 ft. Max size D1. Photo: BPG

Today I observed multiple small wind slab avalanches off Woody Ridge. NE and E facing, 10000 ft. Max size D1. Photo: BPG

 Many dry loose slides on Cooke Peak in Hayden Creek. Photo: BPG

We also witnessed a falling cornice today that washed some snow through rocks. Be aware of what's above you.

Above Goose Creek -hard, dense, strong, and deep snow. Facets from late January are 1F+ hardness

Fresh wind slab avalanche seen this afternoon, possibly rider triggered. Photo: N. Meyers

On Feb 24 we saw at least 3 rider triggered wind slabs, 4-5 natural wind slab avalanches, and a couple large cornice falls. Strong wid had affected almost every piece of terrain, scouring some slopes, loading others, just stiffening the slab in many areas, and forming fresh drifts on every convex roll and along the edges of trails. Riding was still soft and fairly consistent in many areas. Photo GNFAC

On Feb 24 we saw at least 3 rider triggered wind slabs, 4-5 natural wind slab avalanches, and a couple large cornice falls. Strong wid had affected almost every piece of terrain, scouring some slopes, loading others, just stiffening the slab in many areas, and forming fresh drifts on every convex roll and along the edges of trails. Riding was still soft and fairly consistent in many areas. Photo GNFAC

On Feb 24 we saw at least 3 rider triggered wind slabs, 4-5 natural wind slab avalanches, and a couple large cornice falls. Strong wid had affected almost every piece of terrain, scouring some slopes, loading others, just stiffening the slab in many areas, and forming fresh drifts on every convex roll and along the edges of trails. Riding was still soft and fairly consistent in many areas. Photo GNFAC

On Feb 24 we saw at least 3 rider triggered wind slabs, 4-5 natural wind slab avalanches, and a couple large cornice falls. Strong wid had affected almost every piece of terrain, scouring some slopes, loading others, just stiffening the slab in many areas, and forming fresh drifts on every convex roll and along the edges of trails. Riding was still soft and fairly consistent in many areas. Photo GNFAC

On Feb 24 we saw at least 3 rider triggered wind slabs, 4-5 natural wind slab avalanches, and a couple large cornice falls. Strong wid had affected almost every piece of terrain, scouring some slopes, loading others, just stiffening the slab in many areas, and forming fresh drifts on every convex roll and along the edges of trails. Riding was still soft and fairly consistent in many areas. Photo GNFAC

On Feb 24 we saw at least 3 rider triggered wind slabs, 4-5 natural wind slab avalanches, and a couple large cornice falls. Strong wid had affected almost every piece of terrain, scouring some slopes, loading others, just stiffening the slab in many areas, and forming fresh drifts on every convex roll and along the edges of trails. Riding was still soft and fairly consistent in many areas. Photo GNFAC

While looking for a recent avalanche from the flat bench above we triggered a similar sized slide directly adjacent to the previous slide. They broke on weak layers of facets and surface hoar that formed at the end of January. 2-3 feet deep and 150-200' wide. Photo: GNFAC

While looking for a recent avalanche from the flat bench above we triggered a similar sized slide directly adjacent to the previous slide. They broke on weak layers of facets and surface hoar that formed at the end of January. 2-3 feet deep and 150-200' wide. Observing the snowpack that caused the avalanche. Photo: GNFAC

While looking for a recent avalanche from the flat bench above we triggered a similar sized slide directly adjacent to the previous slide. They broke on weak layers of facets and surface hoar that formed at the end of January. 2-3 feet deep and 150-200' wide. Photo: GNFAC

While looking for a recent avalanche from the flat bench above we triggered a similar sized slide directly adjacent to the previous slide. They broke on weak layers of facets and surface hoar that formed at the end of January. 2-3 feet deep and 150-200' wide. Photo: GNFAC