Trip Planning for Cooke City Area

as of 5:00 am
Today1″ | 10-20 W
Mar 30 2″ | 5-15 SE
Mar 29 2″ | 10-15 SE
10,000′     03/31 at 11:00
16.0℉
NW - 19mph
Gusts 25mph
9100′     03/31 at 10:00
29℉
103″ Depth
Bottom Line: Avalanches in the upper snowpack can be triggered beneath the snow that fell over the last week, particularly where it’s been more recently drifted by the wind. A harder to identify, but scarier possibility is triggering a deep slab avalanche.You’d have to get unlucky to trigger one of these slides today, but if you do, the consequences could be huge. Avalanches in the newer snow could also step down and trigger a deeper slide.
Primary Problem: Persistent Weak Layer

Past 5 Days

Mon Mar 27

Moderate
Tue Mar 28

Moderate
Wed Mar 29

Moderate
Thu Mar 30

Moderate
Today

Moderate

Relevant Avalanche Activity

Cooke City
Daisy Pass
Snowmobiler triggered, caught and injured, Daisy Pass
Incident details include images
Daisy Pass
HS-AMu-R3-D2-O
Elevation: 10,000
Aspect: SW
Coordinates: 45.0550, -109.9530
Caught: 2 ; Buried: 0

On the morning of March 23, 2023 near Daisy Pass, two snowmobilers were stuck on a slope and a third was snowmobiling up to help when a large avalanche was triggered. The two stuck riders were caught and carried, and one of them sustained potentially life-threatening leg injuries (later determined as a broken femur). The third rider was able to safely ride off the slope and was not caught by the avalanche.

One rider in the group rode into Cooke City to contact Search and Rescue. Cooke City/Park County Search and Rescue transported the injured rider back to Cooke City where he was transferred to an air ambulance.

The avalanche was on a southwest facing slope at 10,000’, it broke up to 4’ deep and 150’ wide, and is classified HS-AMu-R3-D2-O.

 


More Avalanche Details
Cooke City
Woody Ridge
Small wind slabs on Woody Ridge
Incident details include images
Woody Ridge
SS-N-R0-D1
Elevation: 9,700
Aspect: W
Coordinates: 44.9739, -109.9240
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

Skied on west and east sides of Woody Ridge.  Observed a few small soft wind slab avalanches involving only new snow around the submarine. Dug a pit about a meter deep on west aspect about 9,700 feet.  HS was 290cm. No result on extended column test. Fist to 265, 4F to 245, 1f to 200 where there is a crust layer, back to 1f below that.


More Avalanche Details
Cooke City
Henderson Mountain
Large snowmobile triggered slide on Henderson
Incident details include images
Incident details contain video
Henderson Mountain
HS-AMu-R4-D3-O
Elevation: 10,000
Aspect: NE
Coordinates: 45.0576, -109.9520
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

From obs 3/18/23: "Watched two riders on the north side of Henderson / Daisy pass high marking. One triggered an large avalanche and got stuck at the crown. Crown was taller than him. Guessing 8-10’ deep and 200+ yards wide. His friend had his back turned to the slide and didn’t see it happen. We were across around the sheep mtn/ Scotch Bonnet area and watched the whole thing happen. We boogied over there as fast as possible to help."

More media and story: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp8qvlfO4sM/ (Credit: C. Diffley)

 


More Avalanche Details

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 40
  • Checking the slope angle on the west side of Henderson Mountain outside Cooke City. Selecting terrain less than 30 degrees steep is the most reliable way to avoid avalanches. The most reliable way to know the slope angle, measure it. Photo: GNFAC

  • Beartooth Powder Guides investigated the crown of the slide that was triggered by a snowmobiler near Daisy Pass on 3/23/23. Photo: Z. Peterson

  • One of the snowmobiles that was involved in the avalanche near Daisy Pass on 3/23/23. Photo: @maria_elizabeth521

  • On the morning of March 23, 2023 near Daisy Pass, two snowmobilers were stuck on a slope and a third was snowmobiling up to help when a large avalanche was triggered. The two stuck riders were caught and carried, and one of them sustained potentially life-threatening leg injuries. The third rider was able to safely ride off the slope and was not caught by the avalanche. Photo: B. Zavora

  • On the morning of March 23, 2023 near Daisy Pass, two snowmobilers were stuck on a slope and a third was snowmobiling up to help when a large avalanche was triggered. The two stuck riders were caught and carried, and one of them sustained potentially life-threatening leg injuries. The third rider was able to safely ride off the slope and was not caught by the avalanche. Photo: B. Zavora

  • On the morning of March 23, 2023 near Daisy Pass, two snowmobilers were stuck on a slope and a third was snowmobiling up to help when a large avalanche was triggered. The two stuck riders were caught and carried, and one of them sustained potentially life-threatening leg injuries. The third rider was able to safely ride off the slope and was not caught by the avalanche. Photo: B. Zavora

  • On the morning of March 23, 2023 near Daisy Pass, two snowmobilers were stuck on a slope and a third was snowmobiling up to help when a large avalanche was triggered. The two stuck riders were caught and carried, and one of them sustained potentially life-threatening leg injuries. The third rider was able to safely ride off the slope and was not caught by the avalanche. Photo: B. Zavora

  • Skied on west and east sides of Woody Ridge.  Observed a few small soft wind slab avalanches involving only new snow around the submarine. Dug a pit about a meter deep on west aspect about 9,700 feet.  HS was 290cm. No result on extended column test. Fist to 265, 4F to 245, 1f to 200 where there is a crust layer, back to 1f below that.

  • "Attached are a few photos of old deep slab avalanches north of town... the south face of scotch bonnet. Hard to tell the depth of the crown but it’s very visible from the lulu road, so probably pretty deep." Photo: Z. Peterson

  • Attached are a few photos of old deep slab avalanches north of town... a south face north of round lake above 10,000’. The crown was mostly filled in but the deepest exposed part was 2-3’ deep. Photo: Z. Peterson

  • From 3/18/23: "Watched two riders on the north side of Henderson / Daisy pass high marking. One triggered a large avalanche and got stuck at the crown. Crown was taller than him. Guessing 8-10’ deep and 200+ yards wide.... We were across around the sheep mtn/ Scotch Bonnet area and watched the whole thing happen. We boogied over there as fast as possible to help." Photo: C. Diffley

  • From 3/18/23: "Watched two riders on the north side of Henderson / Daisy pass high marking. One triggered a large avalanche and got stuck at the crown. Crown was taller than him. Guessing 8-10’ deep and 200+ yards wide.... We were across around the sheep mtn/ Scotch Bonnet area and watched the whole thing happen. We boogied over there as fast as possible to help." Photo: C. Diffley

  • A few recent slides were visible today on south, east and west aspect around goose lake zone. Looked like mostly wind slabs in the new snow. Photo: P. Hinmon

  • A few recent slides were visible today on south, east and west aspect around goose lake zone. Looked like mostly wind slabs in the new snow. Photo: P. Hinmon

  • Saw this natural D2 soft slab off the east aspect of Miller Ridge. The crown looks shallow, so I’m guessing it ran at the storm interface. 3/16/23. Photo: N. Hance

  • From Obs: "Heard tree breakage, saw plumes of snow and sliding snow at the bottom of the slide path. Our group spoke with the sledders and skiers that were on the slope and confirmed none were caught. Skiers reported feeling slide tremble and backed down the mountain. The main breakage was near top of the third shoot from the lookers right." Photo: N. Repphun

  • From obs: "I triggered an avalanche on the way back down the mountain. I'm unsure of the exact location but a buddy said it was under bear tooth butte. I was able to outrun the avalanche, and there were no injuries."

  • From obs: "I triggered an avalanche on the way back down the mountain. I'm unsure of the exact location but a buddy said it was under bear tooth butte. I was able to outrun the avalanche, and there were no injuries."

  • From obs: "Large avalanche with small tree and branch debris. Located on the lower NE bench face of Mt Abundance, near Lake Abundance. There were snowmobile tracks near the slide but could not determine if that was the cause. Approx 2000 feet across. Possibly 4-6 feet deep but couldn't tell from the bottom of the hill." Photo: D Green

     

  • From obs: "Large avalanche with small tree and branch debris. Located on the lower NE bench face of Mt Abundance, near Lake Abundance. There were snowmobile tracks near the slide but could not determine if that was the cause. Approx 2000 feet across. Possibly 4-6 feet deep but couldn't tell from the bottom of the hill." Photo: D Green

  • Snowmobile triggered on a path called "Marty's" above Daisy Pass road. This was similar aspect as the slide on Crown Butte yesterday, and likely had a similar snowpack structure. We checked the debris for a beacon signal to be sure no one was caught, and did not find one. This may have been triggered today (3/12). Photo: GNFAC

  • Snowmobile triggered on a path called "Marty's" above Daisy Pass road. This was similar aspect as the slide on Crown Butte yesterday, and likely had a similar snowpack structure. We checked the debris for a beacon signal to be sure no one was caught, and did not find one. This may have been triggered today (3/12). Photo: GNFAC

  • Snowmobile triggered on a path called "Marty's" above Daisy Pass road. This was similar aspect as the slide on Crown Butte yesterday, and likely had a similar snowpack structure. We checked the debris for a beacon signal to be sure no one was caught, and did not find one. This may have been triggered today (3/12). Photo: GNFAC

  • Slide on Crown Butte that was triggered by a snowmobiler yesterday (3/11/23). This was on a SW aspect at 9,600'. It was 1-3 feet deep and broke on a layer of surface hoar and large facets below a hard slab of wind-drifted snow. Photo: GNFAC

  • Natural on the east side of Sheep Mtn. that was a hard slab of wind-drifted snow on a heavily wind loaded slope near the high ridgeline at 10,500', East aspect. Photo: GNFAC

  • This slide on Fisher Mtn. was a very large natural that broke the night of 3/10-3/11, and appeared up to 10 feet deep. 10,200', E aspect. Photo: GNFAC

  • This slide on Fisher Mtn. was a very large natural that broke the night of 3/10-3/11, and appeared up to 10 feet deep. 10,200', E aspect. Photo: GNFAC

  • This slide on Fisher Mtn. was a very large natural that broke the night of 3/10-3/11, and appeared up to 10 feet deep. 10,200' E aspect. Photo: GNFAC

  • From FB message: "triggered this today (3/11/23) in Cooke City south side of Crown Butte."

  • Large natural avalanche on Fisher Mtn. observed 3/11/23 (screenshots from IG story, A. Mulkey)

  • Large natural avalanche on Fisher Mtn. observed 3/11/23 (screenshots from IG story, A. Mulkey)

  • From obs 3/11/23: "Saw a deep crown today in Republic Valley. This is peak 10383 (just north east of republic peak). Crown looks about 100 feet wide and probably 5 feet deep. Couldn’t see debris or how far it ran." Photo: J. Mundt

  • On the afternoon of 3/11/23 there was a large avalanche in the main gully on Town Hill (southerly aspect) above Cooke. Photo: GNFAC

  • Several avalanches observed D2-D2.5.
    Crown depth 80-120cm
    SSW @ 8800’

    Photo: B. Hoiness

  • Several avalanches observed D2-D2.5.
    Crown depth 80-120cm
    E @ 9700’
    Photo: B. Hoiness

  • Several avalanches observed D2-D2.5.
    Crown depth 80-120cm
    ENE @ 10,000’
    Photo: B. Hoiness

  • Observed 3/11/23: E aspect, around 9,000'. Photo: B. Fredlund

  • Seen 3/11/23, NW aspect, around 10,000'. (This starting zone also avalanched in a similar way around Feb. 21). Photo: B. Fredlund

  • Photo attached of a recent avalanche near Cooke, on the north face of Mt. Republic.  Steep, rocky, north facing.  Everything that I have been seeing the last 2 days has been similar:  steep, rocky north faces above tree line, often associated with wind loading, and cornices.  We observed 4 other similar avalanches yesterday, like the photo attached.

  • A group of snowmobilers captured an image of what we believe was a skier-triggered avalanche on Miller Mountain from 3/2. Photo: R. Stacy

Videos- Cooke City Area

WebCams


Soda Butte Lodge, looking West

Soda Butte Lodge, looking East

Snowpit Profiles- Cooke City Area

 

Select a snowpit on the map to view the profile image

Weather Forecast Cooke City Area

Extended Forecast for

2 Miles NNE Cooke City MT

  • This
    Afternoon

    This Afternoon: Snow likely, mainly after 4pm.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. West wind around 15 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

    Snow Likely

    High: 29 °F

  • Tonight

    Tonight: Snow likely, mainly before 7pm.  Patchy blowing snow after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. Wind chill values as low as zero. West southwest wind 17 to 23 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of around 2 inches.

    Snow Likely
    and Patchy
    Blowing Snow

    Low: 16 °F

  • Saturday

    Saturday: Snow, mainly after 7am.  Patchy blowing snow. High near 29. Wind chill values as low as zero. West southwest wind 25 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 47 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of around 4 inches.

    Snow and
    Patchy
    Blowing Snow

    High: 29 °F

  • Saturday
    Night

    Saturday Night: Snow.  Patchy blowing snow before 4am. Low around 11. Wind chill values as low as -5. West southwest wind 31 to 36 mph decreasing to 22 to 27 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 55 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of around 5 inches.

    Snow and
    Patchy
    Blowing Snow

    Low: 11 °F

  • Sunday

    Sunday: Snow.  High near 24. West wind 22 to 27 mph increasing to 28 to 33 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 47 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of around 2 inches.

    Snow

    High: 24 °F

  • Sunday
    Night

    Sunday Night: Snow likely, mainly before 7pm.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. West southwest wind 24 to 29 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

    Snow Likely

    Low: 8 °F

  • Monday

    Monday: Snow, mainly after 1pm.  High near 26. West southwest wind 9 to 14 mph becoming east northeast in the afternoon.  Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of around 2 inches.

    Chance Snow
    then Snow

    High: 26 °F

  • Monday
    Night

    Monday Night: Snow.  Low around 8. Northeast wind around 14 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 80%.

    Snow

    Low: 8 °F

  • Tuesday

    Tuesday: Snow.  High near 19. North northeast wind around 14 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 90%.

    Snow

    High: 19 °F

The Last Word

Avalanches have killed 23 people in the United States so far this season. On Monday, March 27th, a snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche in Utah. This was the tenth fatality in March. 


More info on each event is available at the Avalanche.org Accidents Page.

 

03 / 30 / 23  <<  
 
this forecast
 
  >>  This is the most recent forecast.