23-24

Natural Avalanche at Yellowstone Club

Date

Our lower ridge has not been controlled or touched yet this year so very indicative the backcountry snowpack. It released sometime before the morning of Jan 10.

See picture.

Region
Northern Madison
Location (from list)
Yellowstone Club
Observer Name
Neil Davies

GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Thu Jan 11, 2024

Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Bridger Range, specifically Bridger Bowl Ski Area, picked up </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/weather/stations/bridger-lift"><span><span>…” of snow</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> (at least .6” </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/snowpack/snowpack-observat…;) in the last 10 hours. This is a significant loading event that will create widespread avalanches </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><u><span><span>in the&nbsp; sidecountry/backcountry</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. We have been tracking the weak snow on the ground for a month and have been nervously waiting for it to get loaded and avalanche. The time has arrived. Do not get onto or underneath steep slopes today. Alex’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/BUYSrxrZqyc"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…; from Sunday explains the dangerous situation we are in right now.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger is rated HIGH. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>From Bozeman to Big Sky, West Yellowstone, Cooke City and Island Park, the backcountry has dangerous avalanche conditions. The wind and snowfall has decreased and current drifting is minimal, but the damage has been done from days of blustery weather: slabs of new snow are now capping the weaker, faceted, sugary snow which is found throughout our forecast area (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/K_t6Fi6wUC4"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>… snow recap video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). This layer came alive in Lionhead on Tuesday and my partner and I were able to get widespread cracking, collapsing and also triggered a 1,000’ wide avalanche (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/QNkJeGFSPYs"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…;, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29836"><span><span><span><strong><span… and observation</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Yesterday we toured into Beehive Basin north of Big Sky and found unstable snow on all aspects (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/6pbxA2gyf4M"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…; and </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29854"><span><span><span><strong><span…;). Recent avalanche activity, small collapses and cracks and very poor stability test scores kept us off avalanche terrain. Yesterday morning at the Yellowstone Club, ski patrol found a large avalanche that broke naturally during the night (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/24/natural-avalanche-yc"><span><span…;). Other ranges are not immune from this instability. Cooke City had </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29866"><span><span><span><strong><span… cracks and collapsing</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29863"><span><span><span><strong><span… triggered a small slide</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> up Hyalite on Mt. Blackmore.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Getting into avalanche terrain is not recommended. Avalanches can break wide and be triggered from afar. For today, the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Upcoming Avalanche Education and Events

Our education calendar is full of awareness lectures and field courses. Check it out: Events and Education Calendar.

Shooting Cracks Henderson Mountain, Cooke City

Henderson Mountain
Cooke City
Code
Latitude
45.05240
Longitude
-109.94500
Notes

Skiers north of Cooke City saw widespread shooting cracks and frequent collapsing while on Henderson Moutain. 

Number of slides
0
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Problem Type
Persistent Weak Layer
Snow Observation Source
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Red Flag
Advisory Year

Cracking in N facing Gully, Hyalite

Hyalite - main fork
Northern Gallatin
Code
Latitude
45.44010
Longitude
-110.95500
Notes

A climber in Hyalite reported cracking while in a wind-loaded gully. 

Number of slides
0
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Red Flag
Advisory Year

Poor Stability North of Cooke City

Date
Activity
Skiing

From email:  "Approx 35 cm new snow. W aspect 9750’ HS 117  ECTP 4 and ECTP 1 35 cm down on surface hoar. Trace of new snow today and getting colder fast. Shooting cracks were common outside the skin track up to 20ft and collapsing was frequent. "

Region
Cooke City
Location (from list)
Henderson Mountain
Observer Name
Reed Youngbar

Small Skier Triggered Avalanche on Mt. Blackmore

Mt Blackmore
Northern Gallatin
Code
SS-ASu-R2-D1
Latitude
45.44440
Longitude
-111.00400
Notes

Near the bottom of their ski run a skier and a group triggered an avalanche that broke above them. This avalanche did not run far and stopped above the skier. No skiers were caught or carried. 

Number of slides
1
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Soft slab avalanche
Trigger
Skier
Trigger Modifier
u-An unintentional release
R size
2
D size
1
Problem Type
Persistent Weak Layer
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Single Avalanche
Advisory Year

From Obs:  "While skiing one of our intended slopes, one of my partners skied over a small rollover and as he arrived at the bottom of the small slope a pocket had released above him and stopped just above where he was standing. The culprit was again the recent snow on top of older faceted snow." Photo: Anonymous 

Northern Gallatin, 2024-01-10

Avalanches and test scores in the Blackmore area

Date
Activity
Skiing

Traveled into the Blackmore area to find some soft snow and compiled a number of observations. We performed a quick ECT on a NE facing slope at roughly 9000’ in a slightly wind loaded terrain feature and got a result of ECTX. In our pit we did identify the potential for a 3-5” slab consisting of the recent snow to avalanche in certain situations. We felt this was a manageable hazard as long as it was not on a large slope with exposure. While touring we also noticed a small avalanche (presumably natural) on the E face of Blackmore. It is in the attached photo. Later we dropped a refrigerator size cornice onto a steep slope and got a small pocket of the new snow slab to release confirming our earlier suspicion. While skiing one of our intended slopes, one of my partners skied over a small rollover and as he arrived at the bottom of the small slope a pocket had released above him and stopped just above where he was standing. The culprit was again the recent snow on top of older faceted snow. 
 

Overall was a successful outing and we scored some good snow while managing the hazard we had identified. 

Region
Northern Gallatin
Location (from list)
Mt Blackmore