Trip Planning for Bridgers

Natural avalanche that occurred at Bridger early on 5/9/22. There were many similar depth natural crowns along the ridge that broke within the recent snow that fell over the weekend.

Crown of a natural avalanche that occurred at Bridger on 5/9/22. There were many similar depth natural crowns along the ridge that broke within the recent snow that fell over the weekend.

Crown of a natural avalanche that occurred at Bridger on 5/9/22. There were many similar depth natural crowns along the ridge that broke within the recent snow that fell over the weekend.

Obs 5/9/22: "found an intact graupel layer buried by 10-14” of fresh snow. Got cracking on it (ectn 17, ct 18) but no propagation. Also saw lots old of storm slabs/wind slab crowns."

Natural wet loose avalanche in Beehive Basin. Occurred on Wednesday 5/4 after new snow fell on Tuesday.

Wet loose snow avalanches of recent 6" of snow. They likely occurred when the sun came out Wednesday morning, or at the end of the storm on Tuesday. GNFAC

"5/3/22 at approximately 4:00pm a storm slab avalanche occurred in beehive basin on a west aspect @9000 ft. This slab was 6-8” deep and propagated around 50’. No one was buried, however we aren’t sure if anyone was caught because we were not the party who triggered this avalanche. We did witness the party drop in but quick went out of sight." Photo: H. Bigos-Lowe

From obs 5/1/22: "This morning we toured south of Flathead Pass to check out the conditions. We noticed on our way up that the freezing line was ~7500 ft. The punchy and wet surface crust became quite supportive and icy at this altitude. We dug a pit at ~7900ft on a NE aspect. At this location, the overnight snow totaled only 2cm but we observed more significant wind deposition in and around the trees of about 10cm. Our shovel shear tests resulted in an easy shear at 120cm and hard shear (Q1) at 90cm. We saw no results from the ECT but, upon shearing the ECT block, we were able to pop off the block at 90cm with a surprising amount of energy (see photo). This block was quite consolidated, so much so that it remained intact as we pushed it out of the pit. With this observation, we stayed off steeper terrain today and will be looking for increased instability at this interface as temperatures warm." Photo: E. Shreier

From 4/30/22: "...there were several wet loose avalanches at Bridger today. Some with ~5cm of snow on top, maybe from yesterday or earlier in the week, and some new this morning. We watched a relatively slow moving natural size 2 come down Colter's area around 10:30. We also ski cut a size 1.5 from the skiers right of the Lower Nose (NE asp) around 9:45 which ran on the melt freeze crust from earlier this week. It moved slowly but I was surprised by how much mass it entrained. A couple other ski cuts just above had produced smaller size 1s. The debris stopped on top of an older debris pile which was significantly larger and had run significantly further. (You can kind of see the difference in the photo). There was also widespread roller balling and pinwheeling on all aspects and elevations. Note - sizes are D sizes..." Photo: N. de Leeuw

From email: "Saw debris from a fairly recent slab avi that slid in lookers right of arrowhead bowl (tough to see in photo but the crowns appeared to be a couple feet deep).  There were a bunch of other debris piles on similar aspects but I was too far for photos.  They probably slid on Friday night [4/22/22] as the debris had a few inches on top. "

Skiers reported shooting cracks from their skis while ascending the terrain at Bridger Bowl. The group later remotely triggered an avalanche from 100'+ away that ran through the "Pearly Gates" and "Patrol Chute". 

Skiers reported shooting cracks from their skis while ascending the terrain at Bridger Bowl. The group later remotely triggered an avalanche from 100'+ away that broke in both "Patrol Chute" and the "Pearly Gates". 

Skiers reported shooting cracks from their skis while ascending the terrain at Bridger Bowl. The group later remotely triggered an avalanche from 100'+ away. 

On 4/18/22 near Cooke City we witnessed natural rollerballs and pinwheels by 11 am, and a couple wet loose slides below cliffs on southerly slopes around noon, and were able to easily trigger pinwheels on west-southwest aspects around 1230-1pm. Photo: GNFAC

Natural avalanches near The Throne. Likely happened Saturday night or early Sunday morning (4/17). Photo: R. Sheridan

From Obs: "Small wind slab on the ridge between Bridger Gully and North Bowl. Only about 2” of snow and moderate wind (Monday at 4pm) when I got this small slab to crack and run on the old snow crust. Higher up drifts were over 2’ tall." C. Oshiro-Leavitt

A large drift on the Ramp just north of Bridger Bowl. Photo: GNFAC

Drifts cracked and slid on steep rollovers north of Bridger Bowl. Photo: K Hammonds

An avalanche on Wilson Peak that caught two skiers and injured one on 4/3/22. Photo: GNFAC

From obs 4/2/22: "With the MSU Avy 2 class today. We dug 3 separate pits on the NE aspect off the top of Texas Meadows. Two pits had ECTX and one in between had an ECTP23 @ 55cm down failing on a persistent facet layer. Bottom half of the entire snowpack was still facets to the ground. Boot sunk to the ground once we reached that layer in the pit." Photo: C. Ellingson

This natural wet, loose avalanche on the east face of Baldy Mtn in the Bridger Range likely released on March 27. Photo: B. Finch

This natural wet, loose avalanche on the east face of Baldy Mtn in the Bridger Range likely released on March 27. Photo: B. Finch

This natural wet, loose avalanche on the east face of Baldy Mtn in the Bridger Range likely released on March 27. Photo: B. Finch

On 3/27/22 Bridger Bowl ski patrol witnessed many natural wet slides in closed terrain, and in adjacent backcountry terrain. Photo: BBSP

On 3/27/22 Bridger Bowl ski patrol witnessed many natural wet slides in closed terrain, and in adjacent backcountry terrain. Photo: BBSP

We drove up Bridger Canyon to look for wet snow avalanche activity. We observed 4-5 wet slab avalanches in Argentina Bowl that failed full depth, a full depth wet loose avalanche in the Pinnacles area, 6 full depth slab and loose snow avalanches north of Ross Peak and several full depth loose snow avalanches in the north of Frazier Basin. Additionally, there were many shallower wet loose avalanches. This activity occurred primarily on March 27th, but some occurred in the preceding days. Photo: GNFAC

We drove up Bridger Canyon to look for wet snow avalanche activity. We observed 4-5 wet slab avalanches in Argentina Bowl that failed full depth, a full depth wet loose avalanche in the Pinnacles area, 6 full depth slab and loose snow avalanches north of Ross Peak and several full depth loose snow avalanches in the north of Frazier Basin. Additionally, there were many shallower wet loose avalanches. This activity occurred primarily on March 27th, but some occurred in the preceding days. Photo: GNFAC

We drove up Bridger Canyon to look for wet snow avalanche activity. We observed 4-5 wet slab avalanches in Argentina Bowl that failed full depth, a full depth wet loose avalanche in the Pinnacles area, 6 full depth slab and loose snow avalanches north of Ross Peak and several full depth loose snow avalanches in the north of Frazier Basin. Additionally, there were many shallower wet loose avalanches. This activity occurred primarily on March 27th, but some occurred in the preceding days. Photo: GNFAC

We drove up Bridger Canyon to look for wet snow avalanche activity. We observed 4-5 wet slab avalanches in Argentina Bowl that failed full depth, a full depth wet loose avalanche in the Pinnacles area, 6 full depth slab and loose snow avalanches north of Ross Peak and several full depth loose snow avalanches in the north of Frazier Basin. Additionally, there were many shallower wet loose avalanches. This activity occurred primarily on March 27th, but some occurred in the preceding days. Photo: GNFAC

On March 26 many natural wet slides occurred in closed terrain at Bridger Bowl. Photo: BBSP

On March 26 many natural wet slides occurred at Bridger Bowl in closed terrain. Photo: BBSP

A skier triggered an avalanche mid-slope on Saddle Peak in the Bridger Range early afternoon March 21st. Thankfully the individual was able to ski out of the slide. Photo: G. Turnage

 "...cornice triggered slide on saddle today. Broke a couple of feet deep, and I couldn’t get too close to the crown but it seemed to have initially broken in the new snow and then stepped down to a PWL below the recent crust...propagated maybe 130ft wide and ran all the way over the saddle cliff to the flats." Photo J. Keogh

There were a few natural avalanches on Saddle Peak that ran over the cliffs into the runout zone. Photo J. Militch

We observed a natural avalanche on Saddle Peak on our drive home today. The Bridger Range received 7" of heavy snow equal to 1" of snow water equivalent in the last 24 hours. During the day we saw heavy wind-loading occurring on the high peaks of the range including Saddle. Photo: GNFAC

The Big Sky Ski Patrol saw this natural avalanche on Cedar Mountain as it occurred. Photo: N. Laskowski

From obs 3/12/22: "Upon descending a ~35 degree slope, I (the snowboarder) kicked loose a wind slab that propagated 100 feet wide, 8 inch deep (max, 4 inches at edges) wind slab that traveled approximately 300 feet (entire slope over 30 degrees) before settling in 2 debris fields, each about 30’ wide and with a maximum of 2’ depth. No one was swept by the debris/buried/injured."

From obs 3/12/22: "Upon descending a ~35 degree slope, I (the snowboarder) kicked loose a wind slab that propagated 100 feet wide, 8 inch deep (max, 4 inches at edges) wind slab that traveled approximately 300 feet (entire slope over 30 degrees) before settling in 2 debris fields, each about 30’ wide and with a maximum of 2’ depth. No one was swept by the debris/buried/injured."

From obs 3/12/22: "Upon descending a ~35 degree slope, I (the snowboarder) kicked loose a wind slab that propagated 100 feet wide, 8 inch deep (max, 4 inches at edges) wind slab that traveled approximately 300 feet (entire slope over 30 degrees) before settling in 2 debris fields, each about 30’ wide and with a maximum of 2’ depth. No one was swept by the debris/buried/injured."