Regional Conditions for Northern Madison

"Lots of cracking up there this morning on fresh, mid elevation wind slabs"

Photo: B. Nobel

"While skinning up to the top of Powder Park lift at Bridger, we had roughly 15' cracks propagate on an E/SE aspect. A snowpit showed roughly 8" of wind slab above a few inches of facets, on top of last week's rain crust." November 11, 2019.

Photo: G. Lawrence

From obs.: "A widespread rain crust left the whole [Beehive] basin glazed like a Krispy Kreme donut to ~1000'. The consistently breakable crust thinned with elevation yet ensured lack-luster skiing conditions throughout the entire basin. Light winds [and] increasing cloud cover... worked together to keep solar input at bay and minimized the break-down or softening of the surface crust. Noted 2 small (D.5 - R1) old natural WL avalanches on due south aspects at ~10,100' probably triggered from cliff bands during the warm up last week...." Photo: Zachary Miller

On November 8th, skiers found weak facets and surface hoar had formed during prior cold and dry weather. Keep an eye out for these weak layers if they get buried. Photo: B. VandenBos

On November 8th, skiers found weak facets and surface hoar had formed during prior cold and dry weather. Keep an eye out for these weak layers if they get buried. Photo: B. VandenBos

Wet loose avalanches at Bridger Bowl (observed on 11/5).

Photo: G. Antonioli

Wet loose avalanches at Bridger Bowl (observed on 11/5).

Photo: G. Antonioli

In the upper basin and dropping into the South Fork of Spanish Creek. Cold temps had done a great job rearranging the snowpack for the worse, older snow was moderately faceted, lots of sub-angular to angular grains to be found. On upper elevation shaded slopes, where more snow from earlier in the year was preserved, the snow near the ground has been metamorphosed to depth hoar, with cupped, striated grains >5mm. Photo: B. VandenBos

On 11/2, skiers found fresh drifts that easily cracked, and avalanched on steeper slopes. Photo: T. Chingas

NE aspect 10,000'. Triggered while skiing through a choke point. This one was thin but ran down slope quite a ways because the terrain was steeper. Photo: T. Chingas

E aspect, 9,100'. Triggered from a stomping a small cornice, which landed on a steep slope below and popped a small wind slab. Photo: T. Chingas

From obs. email:

Easy shovel sheer result (middle facet layer)
Ct 11 (middle facet layer)
Ect 13 with propagation (middle facet layer)
295 degrees northwest facing
8,600 feet
70cm snow depth

Photo: E. Howard

A skier reported on 11/1, "Activity I observed was restricted to the new snow. A fair bit of loose snow....  Skiers on the E bowl of Blackmore triggered some D1 dry sluffage, running on a crust beneath the new snow." Photo: B. VandenBos

A skier reported on 11/1, "Activity I observed was restricted to the new snow. A fair bit of loose snow....  Skiers on the E bowl of Blackmore triggered some D1 dry sluffage, running on a crust beneath the new snow." Photo: B. VandenBos

A skier reported on 11/1, "I watched a small (D1) wind slab build and fail as the wind picked up near the Blackmore/Elephant saddle (happened just before 2pm). Slab couldn't have been much thicker than 15cm, broke 30-40m wide. These slabs were building rapidly,..." Photo: B. VandenBos

From an email, "...here’s a pic from a north facing slope below Thunder Road, about midway up PK. We saw a few more shooting cracks in the flats below the top of PK, and the surface wind slab where this photo was taken was ~10 cm."

Photo: J. Boulange

We found sensitive wind slabs near ridgelines on Mt. Blackmore and evidence of recent cross-loading. Photo: GNFAC

A skier in Hyalite wrote, "Natural activity that I observed was failing at new/old interface and (generally) occurred in predictable, wind loaded locations near ridge lines. The one exception is the avalanche with the freshest debris; looks like it failed right at the end of the storm in a somewhat sheltered, mid-slope location." Photo: B. VandenBos

Gusty north wind and moderate snowfall created unstable drifts of snow at Bridger on Monday (10/28). Some slid naturally and some were easily triggered by skiers. Photo: P. Hinz

From email: "There was 10cm of facets near the ground which led to a stable layer roughly 30cm thick. Propagation at 40cm and 50cm at 17 and 26 swings from the elbow. 22 degree slope. 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Overall snowpack was 80cm."

Photo: R. Emery

Small storm slabs triggered at Bridger on 10/26. From email: "slab formation appeared isolated to leeward sides of midslope terrain features and rollovers as well as at ridgetops". 

Photo: G. Antonioli

Large avalanche observed on 10/25 near Imp Peak in the Taylor Fork. 

Photo: B. VandenBos

Snow available for transport in the Bridgers is isolated to upper elevations, as mid/lower the snowpack was wet and warm. Skiers recent activity on Saddle isolated to fresh cornice fall and loose snow sluffing. Photo: G. Antonioli

The snow still available for transport is isolated to upper elevations, as mid/lower the snowpack was wet and warm. Skiers noted recent activity on Saddle isolated to fresh cornice fall and loose snow sluffing. Photo: G. Antonioli

The snow still available for transport is isolated to upper elevations, as mid/lower the snowpack was wet and warm. Skiers noted recent activity on Saddle isolated to fresh cornice fall and loose snow sluffing. Photo: G. Antonioli

A local near Fairy Lake gets a taste of fresh October snow and wind. "You know it's somewhat windy when the goats start closing their eyes and their beards get blown sideways." Photo: B. VandenBos

Strong westerly wind scoured snow off high ridgelines and slopes in the northern Bridger Range on Friday (10/11). Photo: B. VandenBos

Dry loose snow avalanches were observed on 10/10 as the recent snow settled. From e-mail "...saw some small, solar-initiated, dry loose snow slides in steep, rocky terrain (heads up ice climbers). With a firm surface beneath the new snow, these little guys were picking up steam quickly." Photo: B. VandenBos

Avalanche debris on the saddle near Hyalite Peak. This is indicative of the type of heavily wind loaded terrain near ridgelines where avalanches are most likely this time of year. Photo: B. VandenBos

Broken off cornice on the saddle between Blackmore and Elephant on 10/5. "Snow was anywhere from inches deep with grass and rocks to hip deep. It was mostly knee deep though. Down in the flats below the bowl there was easily 8-10" fresh and another 2" on my way down..." Photo: @benjacobsenphoto

Ice Climbers on the Sphinx sent this photo from October 3, and noted,

"No snow hazard of much concern on the approach. However, a quick hasty pit in an isolated wind pocket revealed a CT1 on this layer.  ice axe is to the ground." Photo: S. Magro

Wind transport of snow on Gallatin Peak, October 2, 2019. Photo: B. VandenBos

MSU SAW is October 9th from 5-9pm in SUB Ballroom A. www.montana.edu/outdoorrecreation/SAW.html for more info.

The mountains got their first coat of snow at the end of September, though it isn't quite enough to protect you from hitting rocks. Where the snow is drifted provides the best coverage, but is also the most likely place to trigger a small slide. A small slide would be painful if it pushes you into the many exposed rocks. Photo: G. Antonioli

The mountains got their first coat of snow at the end of September. It isn't quite enough to protect you from hitting rocks. Photo: G. Antonioli

We hiked in to put up the Flanders weather station on 9/25 and found a spotty distribution of 4-6" of snow above 8,000'. Photo: GNFAC

Last weekend (9/23) there was about 14 inches of snow at 9,000'. Sun and warm temperatures created wet snow avalanches on slopes that face the sun. These small slides can be hazardous if they push you into the wrong terrain. Photo: Z. Drobnik

Last weekend (9/23) there was about 14 inches of snow at 9,000'. Sun and warm temperatures created wet snow avalanches on slopes that face the sun. These small slides can be hazardous if they push you into the wrong terrain. Photo: Z. Drobnik

Last weekend (9/23) there was about 14 inches of snow at 9,000'. Sun and warm temperatures created wet snow avalanches on slopes that face the sun. These small slides can be hazardous if they push you into the wrong terrain. Photo: Z. Drobnik