21-22
GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Jan 28, 2022
Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion
<p>Large avalanches are unlikely today. That does not mean it is impossible to trigger a slide, so stick with good travel practices and be on the lookout for signs of instability. Only expose one person at a time to steep slopes. Watch your partners from a safe spot. And everyone in the group needs to be carrying rescue gear. </p>
<p>If you’re stepping out into more consequential and exposed terrain, be ready to back off a slope if you find signs of instability such as cracking or poor snowpack test results. Skiers yesterday in the Northern Madison Range triggered two very small “micro” wind slabs and took heed of that warning by changing plans and backing off the steep and exposed slopes they were headed for. Thin wind slabs are the hazard you’re most likely to encounter, but even these will mostly be well bonded and triggering one is generally unlikely. Yesterday, Alex and Doug investigated a thin slide on Saddle Peak that avalanched a few days ago (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAKP0a0G9ks"><strong><u>video</u></stro…;, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/25629"><strong><u>details</u></strong>…;). It broke 6-8” deep and 1000ft wide on a thin layer of facets under a hard wind slab. It is worth quickly searching for and testing weak layers in the upper snowpack to avoid being surprised. Many slopes have these weak layers (either near surface facets or surface hoar), but for now they’re only a problem where they’re hiding under thin wind slabs. </p>
<p>On Mt. Ellis yesterday, I found a thin snowpack that has gotten weaker over the last month (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjIW7Pp-hz0"><strong><u>video</u></stro…;). Without a stiff slab the snowpack there is currently just weak but not unstable. It’s worth filing that info away because it’ll become problematic when it starts snowing again. </p>
<p>Throughout our forecast area the avalanche danger is rated LOW. </p>
<p>If you get out, please send us your observations no matter how brief. You can submit them via our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation"><strong><u>websi…;, email (<a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com"><strong><u>mtavalanche@gmail.com</u></str…;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>
Upcoming Education Opportunities
See our education calendar for an up-to-date list of all local classes. Here are a few select upcoming events and opportunities to check out:
Beehive/Bear
Date
Activity
Skiing
Erika and I skied into Bear Basin from Beehive today and then skied Island Boy off the north side of Bear Claw and finished up with a lap on 10602. There was more new snow than any of the Big Sky or YC stations reported, around 8” in the alpine, more where last night’s northerly winds had blown it in. We bailed on the Bolivian Face off of 10602 when I triggered two micro windslabs on the traverse out to the couloir, they were slow moving and somewhat stubborn but still kind of a show-stopper in terrain that exposed. Otherwise we found the new snow to be fairly dense and bonded well. There was an intermittent graupel layer between last night’s snow and the storm snow from earlier this week that we noticed on the up track out of Beehive as well as the south side of Bear Claw. It seemed mostly isolated to the gut of the couloirs and didn’t have any noticeable affect on stability, but I was surprised to see it given the colder temperatures this past week.
Region
Northern Madison
Location (from list)
Beehive Basin
Observer Name
Henry Coppolillo
Small skier triggered and natural dry loose Bridgers
Argentina Bowl
Bridger Range
Code
L-ASc-R1-D1-I
Elevation
8700
Aspect
E
Latitude
45.78690
Longitude
-110.93500
Notes
We triggered small dry loose avalanches and some ran naturally. They involved 1-2" of new low density snow and ran far on weak faceted snow underneath.
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Loose-snow avalanche
Trigger
Skier
Trigger Modifier
c-A controlled or intentional release by the indicated trigger
R size
1
D size
1
Bed Surface
I - Interface between new and old snow
Problem Type
New Snow
Slab Thickness
2.0 inches
Vertical Fall
300ft
Slab Width
4.00ft
Slab Thickness units
inches
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Multiple Avalanches
Advisory Year
Natural and skier triggered 2" deep loose snow avalanches in Argentina Bowl south of Saddle Peak on 1/27/22. There is also an older cornice break visible that gouged the slope below 1-2' deep, but did not break out a wider avalanche. Photo: GNFAC
Old debris from an avalanche that broke on the night of 1/25 or earlier. The crown is obscured by clouds and drifted in. Our tracks are visible crossing the bed surface up high. Photo: GNFAC
Avalanche Details: Natural on Saddle Peak
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Jan 28, 2022GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sat Jan 29, 2022
Bridger Range, 2022-01-27
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Jan 28, 2022GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sat Jan 29, 2022
Snowpit in the crown of an avalanche on the south summit of Saddle Peak. It broke on 1/25/22 or earlier, 6-8" deep, 1,000' wide, hard slab on weak faceted snow. Photo: GNFAC
Avalanche Details: Natural on Saddle Peak
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Jan 28, 2022
Bridger Range, 2022-01-27
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Jan 28, 2022