We skied past a wet loose avalanche that came off of the south face of Bradley‘s Meadow. It was slightly bigger than the rest of the wet snow activity that I observed during the day. Photo: GNFAC
We skied past a wet loose avalanche that came off of the south face of Bradley‘s Meadow. It was slightly bigger than the rest of the wet snow activity that I observed during the day.
We rode around the far end of Buck Ridge today (Bear Creek, McAtee, 2nd Yellow Mule) and found very warm temperatures and increasingly spring-like snow. Almost everywhere at upper elevations there was a thin melt-freeze glaze on the snow (except in deeper shade and lee areas where the weekends wind pushed snow). Below the surface 4-6" the snow was still fairly dry too. We could see a few point releases from yesterday's warmth in steeper and rockier areas but otherwise no avalanche activity up high. The riding ended up being surprisingly good still and the bottom 3 miles of Doe Creek Rd are snow/slush/ice covered for now. That will not last much longer.
On the drive home in Gallatin Canyon, however, we did see some wet slides in the chutes/gullies south of Lava Lake (photo attached).
Today we noticed these natural small wind slabs on Mt Henderson.
We also observed active wet loose in Zimmer Creek today on rocky terrain.
Noticed crown and debris on drive up Bridger Canyon this morning. Looks like a wind slab.
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Springtime weather brings several avalanche problems that will evolve throughout the day as temperatures warm well above freezing. Consider what avalanche problem is the most concerning at any given time and where they might overlap, because the management strategy is slightly different for each. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind slab avalanches </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>breaking up to a couple feet deep on slopes where winds recently drifted snow are the primary concern. Yesterday, a natural avalanche slid on a wind-loaded slope on the Fin south of Cooke City (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://mtavalanche.com/node/34742"><span><span><span><strong><span><u>… and photo</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). While instability related to recently wind-drifted snow is decreasing, similar human-triggered avalanches are possible today. Seek out sheltered terrain and avoid heavily wind-loaded slopes immediately below cornices. Note conditions that indicate potential instability, such as a stiffening of the snow surface and shooting cracks. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wet loose avalanches </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>will slide naturally as the day warms and the snow surface moistens and becomes weaker. These are most likely on southern aspects and slopes with exposed rocks and cliff bands that heat up in the sun. Wet snow avalanches will be relatively small, primarily a hazard in technical terrain where heavy snow could push riders or skiers into obstacles like trees, rocks and off cliffs. Move to shadier, northern aspects if more than the top few inches of snow becomes wet or you observe cinnamon-roll-like pinwheels and small wet snow avalanches in nearby terrain. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Persistent slab avalanches </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>are primarily a concern in the Lionhead, Southern Gallatin and Southern Madison Ranges, and to a lesser extent, the mountains around Cooke City. While not likely, human-triggered avalanches could break 2-3 feet deep and over one hundred feet wide on buried weak layers. This weekend, a natural avalanche broke on this layer in the Sheep Creek drainage (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/25/natural-avalanche-north-cooke-cit…;), and my partner and I noted the issue in several snowpack assessments over the last two days around Cooke City (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/25/ectp18-absarokas"><span><span><sp…;, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7oJF2TPrXI&list=PLXu5151nmAvToI_ir…;, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34732"><span><span><span><strong><span…;). Saturday and Wednesday of last week, snowmobilers triggered avalanches in the Taylor Fork that broke several feet deep (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34722"><span><span><span><strong><span…;, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34697"><span><span><span><strong><span…;). Reduce your vulnerability by selecting smaller, less consequential slopes with fewer terrain traps and by following safe travel practices. Digging and testing the snowpack increases your chances of catching critical instability before it catches you. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Human-triggered avalanches are possible, and the danger is rated MODERATE across the forecast area. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Temps around 32 degrees
As we rode, we dug a few snowpits looking for the weak layer that we found yesterday buried about 2 feet deep. While we were able to find this layer, we only got propagation in one of three tests (ECTP 26, E aspect, 9070'). Photo: GNFAC
We noted one avalanche on the Fin that likely occurred yesterday or early this morning from a wind slab or cornice fall. Photo: GNFAC
