23-24

9500 ft E facing slope in Beehive basin.  Dug to investigate the basal facet layer on the apron, found HS 120-140 cm with rounding facets on the ground, ECT 23 on pencil firm density layer above the facets, ECTx  on basal layer.  Chose ascent route in a slope concavity to avoid potential shallow trigger points.  Cut a cornice prior to descent and struck a shallow (18 inches )  trigger point on top of some rocks which propagated about 500 ft wide across multiple ribs and 400 vert D3 R4.  Did not recognize the razor thin margin for error on this slope, scouring in the start zone which created the shallow trigger point, or the propagation potential in this zone.  

I meant to add the crown depth 18 inches to 6 feet

A skier had a close call on Saddle Peak when he triggered an avalanche that swept 900 vertical feet down over the cliff band of Saddle Peak into Going Home Chute. This photo is of the upper crown and release. Photo: GNFAC

A skier had a close call on Saddle Peak when he triggered an avalanche that swept 900 vertical feet down over the cliff band of Saddle Peak into Going Home Chute. Photo: GNFAC

Saw this avalanche in the Rasta Chutes today, not sure if it was already sent in. Here is a picture from across the valley. The avalanche ran almost to the bottom of the chute, covering sled tracks heading into tradgenic. 

We rode out to the avalanche that was triggered yesterday on Henderson Mtn. It broke over 2000' wide (measured on GPS) and all the way up to the ridgeline, 6-10' deep and maybe 12-15' deep at the deepest section. There were a couple hundred feet of slope that had not slide between this one and the similarly large slide to the north last weekend. The deepest debris was probably 15-20'.

We also saw a fresh huge avalanche on the south side of Scotch Bonnet that happened today or late yesterday. 4-6' deep and 300' wide. Both slides were R4-D3-O. There was another fresh slide in the Rastas (one that didn't slide last weekend) that looked fresh yesterday or today, 4' deep hard slab, R3-D2-O, and one small but deep slab on the north side of Scotch Bonnet, 6' deep x 30' wide, R1-D1.5.

We could see evidence of previous large avalanches in the cirque on Republic Mtn. and in east Woody Creek south of town. There were widespread avalanches along Henderson Bench as well, below the steep break over in the trees, 3'+ deep breaking across multiple terrain features through thick trees, most of the bench slid, and appeared to have happened last weekend.

On my drive to Cooke City I saw old slab avalanches in YNP near Mammoth and on Abiathar and Ampitheater among other places. These appeared to have happened earlier in the week. I also saw a more fresh looking persistent slab avalanche on Barronette, 2-3' deep and as wide as its terrain feature, 100-200' (photo).

Pretty scary. Stay safe out there.

From obs: "On a tour up Middle Peak, I saw recent avalanches, with large propagation in Middle Basin and Beehive Basin." Photo Anonymous