20-21

Yellowstone National park (Chrystal Creek); cornice collapse and whumpfs

Out of Advisory Area
Code
C-AS
Latitude
44.88990
Longitude
-110.33300
Notes

In Lamar Valley:

Today in Chrystal Creek my group of 4 skiers triggered 3 cornices. 2 remotely triggered and one small one while skiing off of it. The slope below was not steep enough to slide far. ~75cm of snow where we dug our pit on a North slope at 26 degrees. One slab ~23cm off the ground didn’t cause any real problems. Another hard slslab35cm-42cm sitting on facets broke at ECTP7, CTPV. Had more whumphs than we could count and cracks that shot 30+ meters. Snow depth varied greatly, some wiwind loading

Number of slides
1
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Cornice fall
Trigger
Skier
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Single Avalanche
Advisory Year

In Lamar Valley:

Today in Chrystal Creek my group of 4 skiers triggered 3 cornices. 2 remotely triggered and one small one while skiing off of it. The slope below was not steep enough to slide far. ~75cm of snow where we dug our pit on a North slope at 26 degrees. One slab ~23cm off the ground didn’t cause any real problems. Another hard slab ~35cm-42cm sitting on facets broke at ECTP7, CTPV. Had more whumphs than we could count and cracks that shot 30+ meters. Snow depth varied greatly, some wind loading.

Out of Advisory Area, 2021-01-05

Collapses, cracking and a natural avalanche on Mineral Mountain

Mineral Mountain
Cooke City
Code
SS-N
Latitude
45.03030
Longitude
-109.99800
Notes

New snow:  about 6" of fresh in town- from last night.

We observed a few fresh natural avalanches out there today.  Photo of one attached:  a S, SE asaspectn Mineral Mountain.  That slislideoked to have occurred last night, and is estimated to be around 4-500' wide.
 
There were also a handful of smaller slab avalanches on NW though NE aspects in the cirque of Mt. Republic, which looked to be more like 36-48 hrs old.
 
Quite a few large collapses experienced today as well- in the mid and upper elevations.
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Soft slab avalanche
Trigger
Natural trigger
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Multiple Avalanches
Advisory Year

We observed a few fresh natural avalanches out there today... a S, SE aspect on Mineral Mountain.  That slide looked to have occurred last night, and is estimated to be around 4-500' wide. Photo: B. Fredlund
 
Cooke City, 2021-01-05

Scotch Bonnet and Sheep Basin/Wolverine Peak natural avalanches

Scotch Bonnet
Cooke City
Code
L-N
Aspect Range
E-SE
Latitude
45.05660
Longitude
-109.95100
Notes

Cooke got 6" (.6" SWE) last night.

1. Natural, unwitnessed avalanche on Scotch Bonnet, S aspect.

2. Natural avalanche on SE wind loaded slope in Sheep Basin - Wolverine Peak.

Number of slides
2
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Loose-snow avalanche
Trigger
Natural trigger
Problem Type
New Snow
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Multiple Avalanches
Advisory Year

Skier triggered avalanche on Henderson Mtn

Henderson Bench
Cooke City
Code
SS-ASr-O
Elevation
9500
Aspect
S
Latitude
45.04080
Longitude
-109.94000
Notes

Remote triggered a soft slab with a ski cut. Cut across top of slope and the slide initiated ten yards below. slide was approximately 25 feet at the crown and ran the whole length/ width of the gulley. Couldn’t see past the choke of the gulley . Thicker at the crown where snow was wind drifted 16 in~. Dug a quick pit after. HS 80 cm. SlSlabn top of crust and facets. No one was caught and we skinned back up and skied out our original skin trtrack

Number of slides
1
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Soft slab avalanche
Trigger
Skier
Trigger Modifier
r-A remote avalanche released by the indicated trigger
Bed Surface
O - Old snow
Problem Type
Persistent Weak Layer
Slab Thickness
16.0 inches
Slab Width
25.00ft
Weak Layer Grain type
Faceted Crystals
Slab Thickness units
inches
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Single Avalanche
Advisory Year

Remote triggered a soft slab with a ski cut. Cut across top of slope and the slide initiated ten yards below. slide was approximately 25 feet at the crown and ran the whole length/ width of the gulley. Couldn’t see past the choke of the gulley. Thicker at the crown where snow was wind drifted 16 in~. Dug a quick pit after. HS 80 cm. Slab on top of crust and facets. No one was caught and we skinned back up and skied out our original skin track. Photo: S. Brown

Cooke City, 2021-01-05

Remote triggered a soft slab with a ski cut. Cut across top of slope and the slide initiated ten yards below. Slide was approximately 25 feet at the crown and ran the whole length/ width of the gulley. Couldn’t see past the choke of the gulley. Thicker at the crown where snow was wind drifted 16 in~. Dug a quick pit after. HS 80 cm. Slab on top of crust and facets. No one was caught and we skinned back up and skied out our original skin track. Photo: S. Brown

Cooke City, 2021-01-05

Collapse and crack in Lick Creek

Lick Creek
Northern Gallatin
Code
Latitude
45.52430
Longitude
-110.95600
Notes

A skier got a collapse and crack in Lick Creek. The collapse has sizeable displacement which is indicative of a very thick and unstable weak layer.

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