Regional Conditions for Bridgers

Under the Schlasman's chairlift at Bridger on November 29, 2020. Snow depth ranged from 3" to 18". Conditions were generally very shallow and rocky. Photo: GNFAC

From obs: "NW of Elf Lake. Lower Pitch in Trees, 2 well defined weak layers present primarily at surface (30cm) and just below at (20cm). 7785FT, Clear, 25F. 10 degree Slope Facing Easterly in forest below steeps." Photo: J Budreski

From obs: "while I was skinning up to the rollover I popped off a wind slab approximately 50 X 50’ with a 6” crown. The slab itself was only about 4” thick and only slid about 5” down the slope before stopping, and I was able to stop and then turn around and ski off of the slab without it moving any further. The 4” of dry slab was sitting on about 3” of sugary snow that was on a very firm icy bed surface." Photo: Anonymous

From IG message: Northern Bridgers is seeing a lot of avalanche hazard. Deep wind slabs where I was on Hardscrabble (SE aspect and NE). On my skin out I saw two avalanche crowns on the NE side of Pomp Pk. One had a party of two that triggered it and they were starting to descend away from avy terrain. Asked some other skiers up there what they saw and similar findings throughout the area. Dug one pit that showed facets on the ground covered by hard, icy snow with wind loaded snow on top of that. On my descent of Hardscrabble i picked my way thru the exposed rock and when I got into deeper snow it propagated about 60% of the time but did not slide really. Photo: D. Britt

Watch the video HERE!

"High winds this week really stripped a lot of terrain, and the snow pack was exceptionally thin in many places. This is looking into Frazier Basin..." Photo: M. Standal

The BBWC (Bridger Bowl Wind Cloud). Strong winds drifted recent snow into slabs that could avalanche on steep slopes. Early season snow means we need to be thinking about and managing avalanche hazard when we travel in the mountains. Photo: B. Rode

The BBWC (Bridger Bowl Wind Cloud) on Tuesday 10/27 accompanied 50-60 mph gusts. This strong wind drifted recent snow into slabs that could avalanche on steep slopes. Early season snow means we need to be thinking about and managing avalanche hazard when we travel in the mountains. Photo: GNFAC

Skier triggered slide on 10/26 at Bridger Bowl near the top of Pierre's Knob lift. Photo: @taitbigmoneyswan

Skier triggered slide on 10/26 at Bridger Bowl near the top of Pierre's Knob lift. Photo: @taitbigmoneyswan

Wind-drifted snow avalanched naturally in a few areas of the northern ranges yesterday (10/23). This photo was near Fairy Lake in the Bridger Range. Photo: B. VandenBos

Wind in the last 36 hours left a fingerprint of ripples near Fairy Lake in the Bridger Range. Photo: B. VandenBos

A skier on Mt Blackmore "observed some natural loose dry sluffs on the N face and the E face off the N ridge. They look like they came down in the last 24 hours with this new snow and wind; they were still fairly defined when I saw them." Photo: Jeanine Dalimata

A panorama of the snow covered peaks in the northern Madison Range taken from Sphinx Mountain. Photo: GNFAC

The mountains are snowy in the northern Madison Range. This photo is of the south face of Lone Peak and the Yellowstone Club with Beehive Basin in the background. Photo: GNFAC

Winds were blowing at upper elevations (+9,000') and loading slopes that were cracking and avalanching. Photo: GNFAC

Approaching the north face of the Sphinx we got shooting cracks in the new, windblown snow. It was a definite heads-up! Photo: GNFAC

While skinning up a south face in Frazier Basin today, skiers got 2-3" wind slabs to release. Photo: Max Cohen

A skier saw widespread small dry loose avalanches in Hyalite on 10/22. Photo: B. VandenBos

Backcountry.com did a social media survey and found that many of us could use an avalanche class. Don't hesitate to sign up for one. Even a one-hour avalanche awareness class is a great place to start. Check out our Education Calendar for an expanding list of classes being offered in southwest Montana. Many are free.

Natural avalanche crown observed on October 19th along the side of The Great One couloir near Fairy Lake in the northern Bridger Range.

Photo: B. VandenBos

Small natural avalanches in windblown snow near Fairy Lake, observed on October 19th.

From obs: "There was some natural avalanche activity coming down off of the cliffs above... Looks like they came down either yesterday afternoon or last night, there was fresh windblown snow on top of the debris. We did observe some wind activated spindrift coming down the rocks when the wind picked up on the ridge and sent it down, very light sluffs but constant.... The natural activity we saw was wet slides and on the surface, it didn’t step down into any of the layers underneath just yet. The wind is strong and will continue to load high elevation ridge lines and cross load lower slopes."

Photo: J. Dalimata

Wind was blowing and drifting recent snow in the Bridger Range the morning of October 15th. Photo: B. VandenBos

By morning of October 11 most mountain ranges were white at the higher elevations. This picture of Saddle Peak was taken from Stone Creek up Bridger Canyon. About .6-.8" of precipitation fell throughout southwest Montana. The Fisher Creek Snotel outside of Cooke City shows 6" of snow fell at 9,100 feet. Only time will tell what melts and what sticks around, but it sure is a good sign! Photo: GNFAC