Regional Conditions for Cooke City Area

From email:

"I wanted to make you aware of a snowmobile triggered slide in Lionhead today. Fortunately, I was not injured, was able to stay completely on top, climbed through the majority of the snow wash after seeing it begin to break, and relatively slowly slid down with the last of the moving snow while still on the machine. When I came to a stop, I stood up and was completely free of the snow. Our group is trained in avalanche safety, practiced beacon use prior to leaving town in the morning, were wearing avy gear, and were very fortunate that this ended up the way it did. 

A clear reminder that this can happen to any of us and to be careful out there."

Photo: Anonymous 

A large natural avalanche observed on the southwest face of Wolverine Peak. Photo: D. Wycoff

A large natural avalanche observed on the northwest face of Median Peak. Photo: D. Wycoff

Spotted the crown on our way down from Ripcurl yesterday, we got a closer look today when we toured into High Hayden. N aspect 10200' Photo: H. Coppolillo

Spotted the crown on our way down from Ripcurl yesterday, we got a closer look today when we toured into High Hayden. N aspect 10200' Photo: H. Coppolillo

This cornice triggered avalanche was on a NE facing slope at 9700'. It broke 300' wide, 3-6' deep and 150' vertical. It likely broke on 1/15 or 1/16/2020. Photo: GNFAC

The avalanche broke at the ground when it was triggered by a cornice fall. It broke 3-6' deep and 300' wide. Photo: GNFAC

This avalanche occurred on a heavily wind-loaded slope from a cornice fall. The area is to the north of Lulu Pass and Scotch Bonnet. Photo: GNFAC

Another view of the large natural avalanche on Mt Fox that occurred on 1/14/2020. Photo GNFAC

Another view of the large, hard slab avalanche that was snowmobiler triggered on 1/16/2020. Photo: GNFAC

"A south and southeast aspect of Mt. Wolverine around 9,500'-10,000'.  I'd estimate the lower crown to be about 3' deep.  And timing of the event maybe around Jan. 16.?" Photo: B. Fredlund

The crown of this snowmobiler triggered avalanche tapered to a thin slab. These thin areas of the slope are prime zones to trigger a slide from. Photo: GNFAC

This avalanche was triggered on 1/16/20. The crown was measured 15' deep and was knife hardness wind slab. The slide broke on a layer of faets that is found on many slopes in our forecast area. Photo: GNFAC

This is the smaller of two avalanches that occurred on Thursday (1/16/20) on Henderson Mountain near Cooke City. It is believed to have been triggered by snowmobilers. Photo: B. Whittle

This avalanche occurred on Thursday (1/16/20) on Henderson Mountain near Cooke City. It is believed to have been triggered by snowmobilers. Photo: B. Whittle

This avalanche occurred on Thursday (1/16/20) on Henderson Mountain near Cooke City. It is believed to have been triggered by snowmobilers. Photo: B. Whittle

From an email:

From afar, observed a large R4/5 D3, to the ground, off of the entire NE shoulder of Fox Mtn. (see attached photo) as well as a couple of scattered R1/D1 wind slabs on upper elevations on E/NE aspects. 

Photo attached of a couple thin, natural slab avalanches near Cooke this morning (1/15/20).  SE aspects of Mineral Mtn., around 9,600'. Photo: B. Fredlund

We toured into Meridian today. On our approach we remote triggered a soft slab on the climber’s left (west) side of the crux approach slope. It was 50’ wide, ran 150’, and the crown was about 12-15”. It was a south aspect at 8370’ with a ~40 degree start zone. The storm slab ran on a crust. Photo: N Hance

On a west facing slope in Sheep Creek, we found the storm snow from the last two weeks breaking on a weak layer. Photo: GNFAC

As we left Cooke City on 13 January the winds picked up and we saw huge plumes of snow coming off ridgetops. This will create new drifts of snow that will avalanche under the weight of a skier or rider. Photo: GNFAC

From email: "Avalanches near the Blacktail Plateau... wind loadeded, easterly aspects, and elevations were about 7,500'."

Photo: B. Fredlund

Natural avalanche on a steep east facing windloaded slope of Miller Ridge. Photo taken 1/10/2020. Photo: B. Zavora.

Snowmobile triggered avalanche on the WSW face of Chimney Rock near Daisy Pass. Appeared fresh on 1/10/2020. Photo: B. Zavora.

Skier triggered slide on Town Hill.  A southerly aspect at 8200'.  It was triggered with a ski cut, and no one was caught.  Specs: about 2' deep, 50' wide, and it ran about 75' vertical. Photo: B. Fredlund

February 1, King and Queen of the Ridge at Bridger Bowl (fundraiser). This is the Friends of the Avalanche Center’s second biggest fundraiser of the year. Come on out and help us raise money by hiking and skiing laps on the ridge. Prizes, camaraderie and a good time is guaranteed. Register with Bridger to hike in the event, and create a pledge page to raise funds with your Ridge laps.

We visited the avalanche that was triggered by a snowmobiler and partially buried 2 people on January 4th. The crown was 10 feet at the deepest part. Photo: GNFAC

 @carter.olson

A party of three skiers remote triggered avalanche with at least 6' crown off N face of Mt Porphry along rockband near summit on 12/29/19. They triggered it after tyhey had found "Three pits dug on NE face ascending Mt Porphry indicating increasing stability and no clean propagation. Approx 150-210 cm deep snowpack." Photo: G. Alsentzer

This natural avalanche was on Town Hill, outside Cooke City, on a SE aspect about 7,800'. Photo: B. Fredlund

This avalanche was triggered on Friday, Dec 27 by a snowmobiler. It was 3 feet deep, NE aspect at 10,200 feet and released on facets at the ground. Photo: GNFAC

This avalanche was triggered by a snowmobiler on Friday, 27 Dec. It was adjacent to one that already slid earlier in the day. It broke 4-6 feet deep and could have killed someone. It was a heavily wind-loaded slope that broke on sugary facets near the ground. Photo: GNFAC

This avalanche below Chimney Rock was triggered on Friday, 27 December, by a snowmobiler. He was not caught. It failed on sugary facets near the ground. This slope is heavily wind loaded and faces NW. Photo: GNFAC

View of the second slide on Henderson Mountain from beneath. 12/27/2019. Photo: T. Juelson

Skiers reported: "Two new [trigger unknown] avalanches on the east side of Henderson today. The first photo is from this morning (12/27/19) around 11:00. The second one appears to be much deeper and I didn't notice it until I rode back by around 2:30, so it might have occurred while I was out skiing or I just missed it this morning." Photo: H. Coppolillo

Skiers reported: "Two new [trigger unknown] avalanches on the east side of Henderson today. The first photo is from this morning (12/27/19) around 11:00. The second one appears to be much deeper and I didn't notice it until I rode back by around 2:30, so it might have occurred while I was out skiing or I just missed it this morning." Photo: H. Coppolillo

Skiers saw several old natural avalanches crowns in Republic Creek on 12/21. (all were E, or NE aspects). This one was seen last weekend (12/14). It broke near the ground and is now filled in by drifted snow. Photo: B. Fredlund

Skiers saw several old natural avalanches crowns in Republic Creek on 12/21. (all were E, or NE aspects). Photo: B. Fredlund