23-24

New snow up Hyalite

Date
Activity
Skiing

Skinned up to Blackmore 01/08 to ski the East shoulder. Found that it had not snowed as much as it had in town the night before. Possibly 2-3” at lower elevations and 3-4” at higher elevations. There was some isolated wind loading in the basin at lower elevations and more widespread loading near the ridge tops. Did not experience any collapsing but did notice a few natural avalanches and one skier triggered avalanche near of the top of Blackmore. Looked as though it was a ski cut that popped the slab. Skied a low angle, non-wind loaded slope with a few lovely turns before smoking plenty of rocks on the way down the trail. 

Region
Northern Gallatin
Observer Name
Sam Lowe

GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Tue Jan 9, 2024

Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion

<p>Strong winds are transporting recent snow into thick drifts on wind-loaded slopes where dangerous avalanche conditions exist, and human-triggered avalanches are likely. New snow today will add fuel to this fire. Human-triggered avalanches are possible in non-wind-loaded terrain where the slabs of recent snow are sitting on persistent weak layers.</p>

<p>Mountain winds increased yesterday afternoon and will continue to blow 20-35 mph from the west to southwest throughout the day. Avoid steep slopes where strong winds are transporting 4-9” of snow that fell across much of the advisory area, and up to 16” in the Centennial Range through the weekend. Today’s snow will amplify instabilities. Wind-loaded slopes will be sensitive to human triggers and likely to produce avalanches 1-2+ feet deep, large enough to injure or bury backcountry travelers. A natural avalanche two days ago on West Woody Ridge near Cooke City (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29828"><strong><span>details and photo</span></strong></a>), and numerous small, human-triggered avalanches three days ago in wind-loaded terrain at Buck Ridge (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0LROtnc7Us&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvSH326z…;) are recent examples of this type of avalanche problem. Expect to find these drifted slopes at upper and mid-elevations. Natural avalanches, shooting cracks and collapsing are red flags indicating instability.</p>

<p>Whether wind-affected or not, recent snow fell on a snowpack with multiple weak layers that can fail and avalanche. Assessing and discussing these weak layers has been a staple of our field days across the advisory area (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXu5151nmAvSH326zVaU9KXJAPtvkIt-… Field videos</span></strong></a>). Riders, skiers and climbers have submitted many greatly appreciated observations documenting the nearly universal distribution of this season’s weak snowpack structure (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/snow-observations-list"><strong><span>snow and avalanche observations page</span></strong></a>). Knowing that weak layers are likely under your feet, dig down and test for any associated instability before considering travel on terrain steeper than 30 degrees.</p>

<p>The danger is rated CONSIDERABLE on wind-loaded slopes. The danger is rated MODERATE in non-wind-loaded terrain but will increase as today’s snowstorm adds weight and stress to buried weak layers.</p>

Upcoming Avalanche Education and Events

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

Every weekend in Cooke City: Friday at The Antlers at 7 p.m., Free Avalanche Awareness and Current Conditions talk, and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Round Lake Warming Hut, Free Rescue Practice.

Poor test scores in geometry

Date
Activity
Skiing

Look to snow obs for info

Region
Bridger Range
Location (from list)
Brackett Creek

Natural Windslab Avalanche on Woody Ridge, Cooke City

Woody Ridge
Cooke City
Code
SS-N-R1-D1-S
Aspect
W
Latitude
44.97390
Longitude
-109.92400
Notes

Skiers on Woody Ridge south of Cooke City saw a natural avalanche on 01/08 that likely happened on 01/07. This avalanche was 8-16" deep and ran a few hundred feet down the gully on a wind-loaded slope. 

Number of slides
1
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Soft slab avalanche
Trigger
Natural trigger
R size
1
D size
1
Bed Surface
S - Avalanche released within new snow
Problem Type
Wind-Drifted Snow
Slab Thickness
12.0 inches
Slab Thickness units
inches
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Single Avalanche
Advisory Year

Windslab in southern Woody Ridge gully

Date
Activity
Skiing

I saw debris from an avalanche in one of the southern Woody Ridge gullies. The slide appeared to be a recent windslab formed by the new snow over the past few days. Best guess it happened yesterday, and it appeared to be natural. The crown appeared ~8-16” from a distance, and was on the skier’s left side of the gully, the side that sees loading from wind out of the south. It ran a few hundred feet down the gully. 

Region
Cooke City
Location (from list)
Woody Ridge
Observer Name
Nick Stayner

Facet sluffs near Cooke

Henderson Bench
Cooke City
Code
L-ASc-R1-D1.5-O
Elevation
9800
Aspect
NE
Latitude
45.05580
Longitude
-109.94700
Notes

From email: near Cooke city, "One could initiate dry loose facet sluffs on steep shady slopes, with ski cuts.  And there were a few more natural dry loose facet sluffs noted on east Henderson off the ridgeline from last 24-48 hrs."

Number of slides
3
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
1.5
Bed Surface
O - Old snow
Problem Type
Persistent Weak Layer
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Multiple Avalanches
Advisory Year

skiing in Republic Creek

Date
Activity
Skiing

Accessed Woody Ridge from Republic Creek, approximately 3 mi up.  Turned around on a west slope at 9000', due to time of day.  8 degrees air temp,  

Snowpack skied well and was supportable - 6-8" of new that seemed well bonded to old snow.  2 perceptible layers when probing with a ski pole.  Lower layer much harder.  

Downfall is still a hazard - not completely buried, but skiing was remarkably good, considering.  

Mostly overcast day.  Occasional wind gusts out of the SW, but mostly calm and cold.  

Region
Cooke City
Location (from list)
Woody Ridge
Observer Name
Don Carroll, Traute Parrie, Jesse Logan