This snowpit was dug a few hundred feet down from the summit. Our tests showed no instabilities which matches other pits and observations around our region. Photo: GNFAC
We dug two snowpits on Saddle Peak. Both showed good stability with 3 to 4 feet of snow. Check out the video for a better description of conditions. Photo: GNFAC
The Bridger, Gallatin and Madison Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
Throughout southwest Montana the snowpack is 3-4 feet deep at 8,000 feet or higher. Skiing and riding conditions are great for this time of year and the snowpack structure and stability issues are currently uniform from the Bridger Range to West Yellowstone to Cooke City. Having all our mountains exhibit similar traits makes avalanche forecasting easier, but conditions rarely stay this way.
This snowpit was dug off the ridge top as soon as we exited the ski area boundary. It's on a small representative east-facing slope that does not get skied. The pit was showed good stability. Our only concern was the interface at 80 cm where a wind slab is sitting on an older surface. There's no persistent weak layer (facets) so I think it will heal/bond quickly, but this interface fractured and propagated in with a score of ECTP11, Q2. Photo: GNFAC
The Bridger, Gallatin and Madison Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
The Bridger, Gallatin and Madison Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
This is good example of the primary avalanche concern. The weak layer is low density new snow under a recently formed wind slab. Without more loading these types of weaknesses heal relatively fast. Photo - GNFAC
The Gallatin and Madison Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
