Trip Planning for Southern Madison

Natural avalanche spotted from the air on Red Mountain, just west of Ernest Miller Ridge

USFS Snow rangers commuting to and from West Yellowstone noticed a human-triggered avalanche across the Gallatin River from Bacon Rind. Photo: K. Marvinney

USFS Snow rangers commuting to and from West Yellowstone noticed a human-triggered avalanche across the Gallatin River from Bacon Rind. Photo: K. Marvinney

We saw a large avalanche (SS-R3-D2-O) that broke on a north facing aspect, around 2' deep, on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC

We saw a large avalanche (SS-R3-D2-O) that broke on a north facing aspect, around 2' deep, on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC

We did note two small avalanches along the Carrot Basin headwall from sometime in the last two days that broke on weak snow near the ground. These areas looked to have a shallower snowpack. Photo: GNFAC

We did note two small avalanches along the Carrot Basin headwall from sometime in the last two days that broke on weak snow near the ground. These areas looked to have a shallower snowpack. Photo: GNFAC

We did note two small avalanches along the Carrot Basin headwall from sometime in the last two days that broke on weak snow near the ground. These areas looked to have a shallower snowpack. Photo: GNFAC

Pit 2

44.95982, -111.09903

100cm snow depth

ECTP17. Failed on faceted layer 30cm above the ground. 

sugary fist snow 20-30cm above the ground; somewhat consolidated 4F storm slab 30-60cm; powder fist snow 60-95cm

Photo: R Cocco

Toured up northwest of the bacon rind trailhead to the ridge. Did two pits, both with similar failures on the buried weak layer during ECT.

Pit 1

44.96190, -111.08941

95cm snow depth ECTN21. Failed on faceted snow that existed 23-35cm above the ground.

Photo:R Cocco

Second photo of an avalanche likely triggered by a snowplow flinging snow onto the shoulder along 191 inside YNP. Not a dangerous avalanche but an indicator of dangerous conditions higher up in the mountains where the snow is deeper

Avalanche likely triggered by a snowplow flinging snow onto the shoulder along 191 inside YNP. Not a dangerous avalanche, but an indicator of dangerous conditions higher up in the mountains where the snow is deeper

Cut bank avalanche 3 Jan 25 along the Teepee Creek snowmobile trail 

A snowmobile triggered a small persistent slab avalanche in the Taylor Fork on Tuesday. The rider was not caught. Photo: O. El-Zaru

One fresh larger slide (R2/D2) at about 9,400' on a NE facing slope. It appeared to be natural (remote?), failed at the ground and was about 200' wide and ran for 200' the crown was 2-3' deep. Photo: A Newman

From obs on 12/29: "On our way out near the cabin I cut a line close to a creek to see if I could trigger something."

From obs on 12/29: "On our way out near the cabin I cut a line close to a creek to see if I could trigger something."

Plumes of drifting snow in the Bridger Range as strong winds blasted the mountains. Photo: GNFAC

From IG: On 12/15 "Storm slab broke about 200’ above us as skinning up the hallway coming from the north side on the throne." Photo: Anonymous

Gusty winds transporting snow in Taylor Fork on Saturday. Triggered a 4-5 inch deep wind slab that propagated about 50 ft at the top of a north east facing slope at 9,500 ft.

Photo: JP

Surface hoar in Taylor Fork

We got propagating test score in a 60 cm deep snowpit at the edge of Sunlight Basin (ECTP18 @ 22 cm) and at the Wilderness Boundary in a 49 cm deep pit (ECTP14 @14 cm). Photo: GNFAC

WE facing snow at 8100 ft Cabin Ck

Radiation Recrystallization happening

Cabin Creek snow cover

SE facing snow Cabin Creek

N facing snow Cabin Creek, 9000 ft

Big Sky Ski Patrol triggered this avalanche during mitigation work in The Wave on 11/26/24... "2-3' deep on an ice crust just above the ground with a 2# shot in the Upper rodeo. Volume was limited as most of the snow was loaded just underneath the cornice, but still produced a sizeable size 2... Other paths in the Lenin region ran meaty wind slabs, full track with no significant step downs." Photo: BSSP

Cracking on old, faceted, October snow hundreds of feet long. North facing near treeline. Photo: BSSP

Intentional, human-triggered avalanche by a ski patrol breaking at the ground on a north facing slope near treeline. Photo: BSSP

Snowpit at Bridger Bowl on 11/5. Photo: B. VandenBos

Photo: S. Bonucci

From obs.: "Triggered a small wind slab: -9600' -N aspect on the NW ridge of Sphinx Mountain -Strong SW wind

-Noticed oth er small crowns, likely triggered from another party traversing the north-facing bowl at similar elevations" Photo: S. Bonucci

From e-mail: "Photo attached from near top of hyalite peak, 11/2. Cracking in recent hard wind slab, I had to really jump hard to make this. Walked on many other hard slabs that were well bonded. Highly variable snowpack. I think you'd be most likely to get into trouble by popping out a small hard slab pocket like this and getting magic carpeted into some thinly covered terrain." Photo: B. VandenBos

From obs: "1-3 mm faceting in front of the Montage. Clear skys and mid 20 temps"

On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Yellowstone Club Webcam

On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Bridger Bowl Webcams

The 26th annual fundraiser for the Friends of the GNFAC is October 25 at the Emerson Cultural Center. More info and tickets at: https://events.eventgroove.com/event/Powder-Blast-2024-101627