Trip Planning for Northern Madison

From 5/21/22: "other older slides were visible on a wind loaded NW oriented slopes at the bottom of the basin. Still feels like winter out there with lots of light snow up high!"  Photo: C. Chupik

From 5/21/22: "Triggered a small slide underneath the cornice of the southeast chute off of Emigrant peak. The slide was 50 ft wide,  4 inches deep, and ran for about 100 ft. The slide was not large enough to knock you off your feet (D1). The latest storm had deposited about 12 inches of new snow underneath the cornice." Photo: C. Chupik

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.

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

On Saturday 4/30/22, skiers triggered this new snow slide in a meadow descending into bear basin. Sun affected, new snow sliding. Photo: P. Smoral

From obs (4/27/22) : "This morning we toured up to Gallatin Peak from Beehive Basin.... At the base of the peak we observed the remnants of a small natural slab". Photo: E. Schreier

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". 

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

From obs 4/7/22: "We observed a small cornice triggered avalanche (R1-D1.5) from a wind-loaded gully off Peak 10602 that likely slid during or soon after the recent storm cycle. The slide had a crown of approx. 8-15in, and ran ~300ft. ... We also observed several other instances of recent cornice-fall in the basin."

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

The Red X was the location of the upper skier, the Blue X was the initial location of the lower skier and the Green X is where the lower skier slid to. The black outline is the approximate dimensions of the slide.

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

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

Skier triggered avalanche on a sub-ridge of Wilson Peak that caught and injured a skier on 4/3/22.

Photo: GNFAC

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 Big Sky ski patrol witnessed many natural wet slides in closed terrain. Photo: BSSP

"We also conducted avalanche mitigation on our Cabin’s Road at 4:30pm. The snowpack in this zone doesn’t get skied and is representative of the backcountry. The slope is ENE around 8,400’. Several wet slab avalanches were produced with explosives and ski cutting. The avalanches ranged from R4/D2 to R2/D1. They all hit the road and several crossed, and buried, the Cabin’s Road. Although most of this mitigation was done with explosives, it took minimal effort with skis to get snow moving. The crowns were 2-3’ deep and ran on the ground." Photo: YCSP

"A wet loose avalanche was seen in the Apron (closed terrain that hasn’t been opened this season) around 3:00pm. It was an R2/D2 on a east facing slope around an elevation of 8,500’." Photo: YCSP

Natural wet slab avalanche on Cedar Mtn. Observed 3/26/22. Photo: J. Gerardi

Natural slab avalanche on the Sphinx. Observed 3/26/22. Photo: J. Gerardi

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

Dry slab avalanche observed on 3/24/22 in the Lone Lake Cirque, in the backcountry adjacent to Big Sky Ski Resort. Broke either overnight on 3/23 or early morning of 3/24.  Photo: BSSP.

These slab avalanches were seen on the east-southeast aspect of Cedar Mountain on March 22. The photo was taken from the Yellowstone Club. Photo: S. Egan

A natural avalanche under the cliffs to the looker's right on Cedar Mountain. It likely failed during or immediately after this weekend's snowstorm (March 20th). Photo: J Gerardi

Ski patrollers at the Yellowstone Club spotted this snowmobile-triggered avalanche on 3/21. 

Patrollers at the Yellowstone Club spotted a natural avalanche under the cliffs to the looker's right on Cedar Mountain. It likely failed during or immediately after this weekend's snowstorm (March 20th). Photo: YCSP

On March 12, riders at Buck Ridge triggered 3 slides from the base of small hills. They also observed two natural avalanches and one other slide triggered by a snowmobiler. Photo: sledr700

On March 12, riders at Buck Ridge triggered 3 slides from the base of small hills. They also observed two natural avalanches and one other slide triggered by a snowmobiler. Photo: sledr700

Large chucks of hard debris were piled 3-4' deep in the runout of a human-triggered avalanche in the backcountry near Big Sky Resort. Photo: GNFAC

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

From obs: "The slide was triggered Monday afternoon by us climbing up the slightly lower angle slope to the left.  It was an East facing slope at 9400’ above Muddy Creek drainage. We triggered lots of sluff slides in the new snow.  This small wind slab was the most significant action we got or saw all day, however, we mostly stayed well away from obviously loaded steep terrain."