"The BC is showing signs of instability all around us-large slides were observed in Lone Lake (basal crust), northerly exposure, out on Cedar in Dirty Bowl, northerly exposure,which slid to ground, and in Beehive Basin."
"...the snowpack was talkative today. Tons of energetic rolling collapses that shook snow out of the trees 50 feet away, and shot powder up around aspens in a Colorado-esque way. Shooting cracks on low-angle test slopes, and isolated small natural slides on steeper, W-facing terrain."
"...the snowpack was talkative today. Tons of energetic rolling collapses that shook snow out of the trees 50 feet away, and shot powder up around aspens in a Colorado-esque way. Shooting cracks on low-angle test slopes, and isolated small natural slides on steeper, W-facing terrain." Photo: D. Pogge
"We headed up Republic with the intention of skiing one of the north couloirs but decided against it once we reached the top. We still managed to drop a fairly large cornice down one of them, triggering a soft slab that ran a ways into the apron below but didn’t step down to anything deeper. While side hilling on the solar side of the East ridge on the way back down towards our skin trtracke felt a very substantial wumph."
<p>The Avalanche Warning in the southern Madison, southern Gallatin and Lionhead areas has expired. These mountains have a weak snowpack with its bottom third composed of unstable sugary facets. This structure is unsupportable making it easy to poke a ski pole to the ground or dig your track to the dirt. Yesterday, this area got 9” of snow with .8” of <a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/or/snow/?cid=nrcs142p2… water equivalent</u></a> (SWE) which spiked the danger. Avalanches were seen on Lionhead Ridge. Before the storm, widespread whumpfing and collapses were felt throughout all three ranges. Dave forewarned us of the increasing danger in his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLSgnetPsDg"><strong><u>video on Monday</u></strong></a>. This was the area’s largest storm since mid-November and today the snowpack will still be adjusting to the added weight of the new snow. Avoid getting on or underneath avalanche terrain because triggering slides is likely today and the danger is rated CONSIDERABLE.</p>
<p>The Avalanche Warning for the Bridger Range has expired. Yesterday morning’s 9” of snow with .8” SWE fell with strong wind. Avalanches occurred during the storm and wind continues to load slopes. Saddle Peak avalanched for the second time in 5 days, and the adjacent slope, Argentina Bowl, also slid (details: <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/23556"><strong><u>Saddle</u></strong><…;, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/23567"><strong><u>Argentina</u></stron…;). Avalanches released a couple feet deep on sugary facets that underlie most slopes in the range. Ian and I went to the Fairy Lake/Frazier Basin area and watched slopes get stripped by gale winds on one aspect and loaded onto another (<a href="https://youtu.be/RYLiP2EjcC8"><strong><u>video</u></strong></a>). They were loading at the ridgetop from the west, and southerly at mid-mountain. Today, these newly formed wind drifts should be avoided as they will easily crack and avalanche. For today the avalanche danger is rated CONSIDERABLE on all wind-loaded slopes and MODERATE on all others.</p>
<p>The snowpack in the northern Madison and northern Gallatin Ranges struggled to hold yesterday’s storm snow (9” near Big Sky, 4-6” in Hyalite). Yesterday, a natural avalanche on Fan Mountain (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/21/natural-avalanches-fan-mountain">…;) near Big Sky and a sizable crack and collapse in Lick Creek in Hyalite (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/21/collapse-and-crack-lick-creek"><s…;) illustrate the weakness of the snowpack. A thick layer of faceted, sugary snow near the ground was under strain from the weight of the new snow. The layer is still weak, but without active loading the chances of triggering a slide has lessened. No matter, it is still prudent to be conservative, especially on wind-loaded slopes, where triggering slides is still possible. For today, the avalanche danger is MODERATE on all slopes.</p>
<p>The mountains around Cooke City lack widespread weak layers, however, avalanches are still possible. This means just you’ll have to dig and test the snow and travel with your senses keen to whumpfs and collapses, a sign of unstable snow underfoot. Yesterday, a natural avalanche on Mineral Mountain (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/23577"><strong><u>details</u></strong>…;), a skier-triggered slide on Henderson Mountain (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/23573"><strong><u>details</u></strong>…;), as well as red flags of collapses and cracks are evidence of isolated weakness and lurking instability. For today, the avalanche dangerous rated MODERATE. </p>
<p>If you get out, please send us your observations no matter how brief. You can submit them via our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation"><strong><u>websi…;, email (<a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com"><strong><u>mtavalanche@gmail.com</u></str…;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>
See our education calendar for an up to date list of all local classes. Here are a few select upcoming events and opportunities to check out:
From an IG message:
A person remotely triggered a large avalanche 200' wide and 800' slope distance on 1/5/21. The crown was 2' thick and broke on depth hoar which is on most slopes above 8,000'. No one was caught.
