Natural avalanche spotted from the air on Red Mountain, just west of Ernest Miller Ridge
Trip Planning for Southern Gallatin
Primary Problem: Persistent Weak Layer
Bottom Line: Today a person can trigger avalanches 2-4 feet deep, or deeper on wind-loaded slopes, which break on persistent weak layers buried near the bottom of the snowpack. Additionally, wind slab avalanches can be triggered where the recent snow has been drifted into soft slabs up to 1-2 feet thick. Choose slopes that are non-wind-loaded and with a relatively deep and more uniform snow depth, or stay on slopes less than 30 degrees to keep it simple.Past 5 Days
Wed Jan 15
Considerable
Considerable
Thu Jan 16
Moderate
Moderate
Fri Jan 17
Moderate
Moderate
Sat Jan 18
Moderate
Moderate
Today
Moderate
Moderate
Relevant Avalanche Activity
Southern Madison
Red Mountain
Avalanche on Red Mountain
Red Mountain
HS-N-R2-D2-O
Elevation: 9,800
Aspect: E
Coordinates: 44.9474, -111.1560
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
More Avalanche Details
HS-N-R2-D2-O
Elevation: 9,800
Aspect: E
Coordinates: 44.9474, -111.1560
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
This avalanche was spotted from the air on Wednesday, Jan 15 on Red Mountain in the southern Madison Range (just west of Ernest Miller Ridge).
It appears to be on an east facing slope at around 9800 ft.
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Southern Gallatin
Specimen Creek
Remotely Triggered Avalanche in Specimen Creek
Specimen Creek
Coordinates: 45.0265, -111.0480
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
More Avalanche Details
Coordinates: 45.0265, -111.0480
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
Many ridgelines had been scoured down to the grass from yesterday's winds. HS was around 100cm around 8k feet and significantly shallower at lower elevations. New snow totals from the past couple of days was around 20-30cm. We experienced a remarkable number of thunderous collapses throughout the day (I lost count), one of which triggered an avalanche into Specimen Creek while we were in the flats.
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Southern Gallatin
Cabin Creek
Remote trigger cabin creek
Cabin Creek
SS-AMc-R3-D2-O
Coordinates: 44.8949, -111.2280
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
More Avalanche Details
SS-AMc-R3-D2-O
Coordinates: 44.8949, -111.2280
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
Dug a small test pit. Unprofessional observation ectp 10 on the persistent weak layer seen across the advisory area. On our way out near the cabin I cut a line close to a creek to see if I could trigger something.
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Relevant Photos
Displaying 1 - 20
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We experienced a remarkable number of thunderous collapses throughout the day (I lost count), one of which triggered an avalanche into Specimen Creek while we were in the flats. Photo: R Parsons
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From obs on 12/29: "On our way out near the cabin I cut a line close to a creek to see if I could trigger something."
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From obs on 12/29: "On our way out near the cabin I cut a line close to a creek to see if I could trigger something."
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Plumes of drifting snow in the Bridger Range as strong winds blasted the mountains. Photo: GNFAC
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From IG: On 12/15 "Storm slab broke about 200’ above us as skinning up the hallway coming from the north side on the throne." Photo: Anonymous
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Gusty winds transporting snow in Taylor Fork on Saturday. Triggered a 4-5 inch deep wind slab that propagated about 50 ft at the top of a north east facing slope at 9,500 ft.
Photo: JP
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WE facing snow at 8100 ft Cabin Ck
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SE facing snow Cabin Creek
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N facing snow Cabin Creek, 9000 ft
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Big Sky Ski Patrol triggered this avalanche during mitigation work in The Wave on 11/26/24... "2-3' deep on an ice crust just above the ground with a 2# shot in the Upper rodeo. Volume was limited as most of the snow was loaded just underneath the cornice, but still produced a sizeable size 2... Other paths in the Lenin region ran meaty wind slabs, full track with no significant step downs." Photo: BSSP
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Cracking on old, faceted, October snow hundreds of feet long. North facing near treeline. Photo: BSSP
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Intentional, human-triggered avalanche by a ski patrol breaking at the ground on a north facing slope near treeline. Photo: BSSP
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Snowpit at Bridger Bowl on 11/5. Photo: B. VandenBos
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From e-mail: "Photo attached from near top of hyalite peak, 11/2. Cracking in recent hard wind slab, I had to really jump hard to make this. Walked on many other hard slabs that were well bonded. Highly variable snowpack. I think you'd be most likely to get into trouble by popping out a small hard slab pocket like this and getting magic carpeted into some thinly covered terrain." Photo: B. VandenBos
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From obs: "1-3 mm faceting in front of the Montage. Clear skys and mid 20 temps"
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On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Yellowstone Club Webcam
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On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Bridger Bowl Webcams
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The 26th annual fundraiser for the Friends of the GNFAC is October 25 at the Emerson Cultural Center. More info and tickets at: https://events.eventgroove.com/event/Powder-Blast-2024-101627
Videos- Southern Gallatin
WebCams
Electric Peak
Roosevelt Arch
Weather Stations- Southern Gallatin
Weather Forecast Southern Gallatin
Extended Forecast for17 Miles SE Big Sky MT
Cold Weather Advisory until January 21, 10:00amClick here for hazard details and duration Cold Weather Advisory-
Cold Weather Advisory until January 21, 10:00am
NOW until 10:00am Tue
Cold Weather Advisory
Tonight
Low: -17 °F
Mostly Clear
M.L.King Day
High: 9 °F
Cold
Monday Night
Low: -4 °F
Partly Cloudy
then Mostly
Cloudy and
BreezyTuesday
High: 14 °F
Mostly Cloudy
Tuesday Night
Low: 2 °F
Slight Chance
Snow ShowersWednesday
High: 21 °F
Mostly Sunny
Wednesday Night
Low: 3 °F
Partly Cloudy
Thursday
High: 23 °F
Mostly Sunny
The Last Word
Thank you for sharing observations. Please let us know about avalanches, weather or signs of instability via the form on our website, or you can email us at mtavalanche@gmail.com, or call the office phone at 406-587-6984.