21-22
Snowmobiled up to 9000ft, skinned up West face of Comet to 10K ft and skied low angle trees back to sled. Heavy windload with cross loading common on this slope. Dug a pit at 9200 ft, W aspect, 28 degree slope. Height of snow was 110 cm, about 3 and a half feet deep. Photo shows hand hardness profile in snowpit with faceted weak layers of concern in mid and lower snowpack. Extended column test had propagation on 18 (ECTP 18) on large facets (see photo) around a crust about 40 cm up from ground. No cracking or collapsing observed on tour.
Human-Triggered Avalanche, Mt Abundance
Mt. Abundance
Cooke City
Code
AMu-R3-D2-O
Latitude
45.07720
Longitude
-110.02100
Notes
Snowmobilers riding near Mount Abundance north of Cooke City unintentionally triggered two avalanches on Dec. 27th. No one was caught or injured.
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Trigger
Snowmobile
Trigger Modifier
u-An unintentional release
R size
3
D size
2
Bed Surface
O - Old snow
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Multiple Avalanches
Advisory Year
Snowmobilers riding near Mount Abundance north of Cooke City triggered two avalanches on Dec. 27th. No one was caught or injured. Photo: Anonymous
Avalanche Details: Human-Triggered Avalanche, Mt Abundance
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sat Jan 1, 2022
Cooke City, 2021-12-28
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sat Jan 1, 2022
Snowmobilers riding near Mount Abundance north of Cooke City triggered two avalanches on Dec. 27th. No one was caught or injured. Photo: Anonymous
Avalanche Details: Human-Triggered Avalanche, Mt Abundance
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Wed Dec 29, 2021GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Dec 31, 2021
Cooke City, 2021-12-28
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Wed Dec 29, 2021GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Dec 31, 2021
A sled was recovered uphill of the 2 avalanche victims in the same area it was stuck. The sled was found with a probe line and is buried 3-4 feet deep. The avalanche crown can be seen in the upper slopes above them. Photo: GNFAC
The crown of the avalanche that killed two snowmobilers on December 27, 2021 was 300 feet wide and 4-5 feet deep. Photo: GNFAC
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Thu Dec 30, 2021
These are the two sites where the 2 snowmobilers were recovered. They were buried 4-5 feet deep in debris piles that measured 9 feet deep. Photo: GNFAC
Ian Hoyer stands next to the crown where we dug a snowpit and investigated the snow structure. The crown averaged 4-5 feet deep. Near his right knee is the layer of weak faceted snow that broke 40 cm above the ground. Above this layer was a thick slab of windblown snow. Photo: GNFAC
Avalanche Details: Double Avalanche Fatality, Scotch Bonnet Mountain
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Wed Dec 29, 2021
Cooke City, 2021-12-28
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Wed Dec 29, 2021
Tour up Maverick Mountain before they open for the season to check how the snowpack is shaping up in the Pioneers; snowpack representative of backcountry. Got a Christmas eve gift when 6-8 inches of maverick 'white thunder' (+/- 5% density) fell overnight adding 30-50% to the total depth of snow. Dug quick pit on SE aspect 8100 feet and there is about 12-16 inches of low density snow with poles and skis going to ground. Dug a little higher on NE aspect 8200 feet where the snowpack is about twice as deep; about 2 feet plus and has a soft-ish slab in the mid-pack.