23-24

Rode from Doe Creek along Buck Ridge to McAtee Basin and the heads of Muddy and Bear Creeks. Snow cover is very marginal on the road - bounced along on the rocks periodically overheating for the first several miles. Snow depth improves as you gain elevation. Snow depth on flat or shady slopes above 8500 ft is approximately 2 ft. Sunny slopes have less snow and more rocks showing. 

Dug multiple quick pits and did two snowpit profiles, one in 2nd Yellowmule and one adjacent to an avalanche that looks to have broken last week along the divide between Muddy and Bear Creek. Found the same general snow structure as the rest of the advisory area - ~12" of weak faceted snow at the ground with a slab (~12") of early December snow on top. A mix of ECTN and ECTP results in the mid-teens across the two pits. Avalanche was approximately 100 ft wide and 25 ft tall, breaking on facets just above a crust near the ground. The slide was purposefully snowmobile triggered as a test slope on Sunday, 17 December. Slabs of snow were also breaking off as we climbed up next to the avalanche, showing conditions are still primed for a slide (see video).

The December snow is weakening and faceting including on sunny slopes where the Oct/Nov facets are more crusted. Surface hoar is big and widespread.

We dug 3 pits on or around the Ramp which is to the north of Bridger Bowl. One was SE facing, the other was E facing and our last was N facing. Depth ranged from 45 cm to 67 cm and all stability tests (6) had ECTN12-14. Photo: GNFAC

I dug 3 pits on or around the Ramp which is to the north of Bridger Bowl. One was SE facing, the other was E facing and our last was N facing. Depth ranged from 45 cm to 67 cm and all stability tests (6) had ECTN12-14. We had no collapsing and saw no avalanche activity. The snow structure is poor: weak, sugary facets on an ice crust capped with a foot of snow. Although our observations are showing a trend toward stability, there are still slopes that will avalanche. These slopes would either have more snow or wind-loaded slabs above this layer; in essence, a meatier slab. The only way to know is to dig and test. And if you ski, watch out for rocks!

Went on a ski tour up Lionhead Ridge yesterday (12/18). Noted lots of sled tracks high-marking avalanche terrain on the east side of the ridge, but no major crowns. Saw one small natural crown on a NE rocky outcropping around 8k, 1 foot deep and isolated. Felt a lot less collapsing than last weekend, however still found some instabilities. Notably a remote collapse that propagated around 50’ in length at around 8200’ on a NE aspect.