Trip Planning for Southern Madison

as of 5:00 am
Today1″ | 10-20 SW
Mar 30 3″ | 10-20 SE
Mar 29 2″ | 15-20 SE
9460′     03/31 at 10:00
16.6℉
W - 9mph
Gusts 18 mph
9000′     03/31 at 11:00
29℉
94″ 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

Considerable
Tue Mar 28

Moderate
Wed Mar 29

Moderate
Thu Mar 30

Moderate
Today

Moderate

Relevant Avalanche Activity

Southern Madison
Tepee Basin
Natural Avalanches Tepee Basin
Tepee Basin
SS-N-R2-D2-U
Elevation: 9,400
Aspect: E
Coordinates: 44.9041, -111.1850
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

We saw two natural avalanches with a brief period of better visibility. Both appeared to release within the new snow or at the interface. 1-3 feet deep. The large appeared to run about 500' vertical. 


More Avalanche Details
Southern Madison
Taylor Fork
Natural Avalanche, Head of Sage Creek
Incident details include images
Incident details contain video
Taylor Fork
HS-N-R3-D2.5-O
Elevation: 9,200
Aspect: N
Coordinates: 45.0607, -111.2720
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

We investigated an avalanche that broke naturally approximately one week ago on a north facing slope at the head of Sage Creek. 


More Avalanche Details
Southern Madison
Taylor Fork
Natural Avalanche Sage Basin
Incident details include images
Incident details contain video
Taylor Fork
HS-NC-R3-D2-O
Elevation: 9,200
Aspect: NE
Coordinates: 44.9513, -111.3140
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sage Basin.


More Avalanche Details

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 40
  • From obs 3/26/23: "Saw a couple small natural slides breaking in the new snow. The one on the small slope beside the road actually appeared to have broken when a snow bike crossed the top just off the side of the road." Photo: J. Weingarten

  • From obs 3/26/23: "Saw a couple small natural slides breaking in the new snow.... occurred in the afternoon sometime" Photo: J. Weingarten

  • Photo: R. Lindsey

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sage Basin. Photo: GNFAC

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was at the head of Sage Creek. Here, Alex is investigating the layering within the snowpack that lead to the avalanche. Photo: GNFAC

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sage Basin. Photo: GNFAC

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sunlight Basin. Photo: GNFAC

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sunlight Basin. Photo: GNFAC

  • We saw a natural avalanche near Bacon Rind into the Gallatin River. Photo: GNFAC

  • Skiers noted a 1-2’ deep slide on the west-facing road cut just north of the Bacon Rind pullout. Photo: S Reinsel

  • Skiers noted an avalanche on Red Mountain that spanned about 2000’. They estimated it was 1-3’ deep in the newer snow, for the most part, but a portion of it broke 15’+ deep and ran at the ground. Photo: S Reinsel

  • Skiers noted an avalanche on Red Mountain that spanned about 2000’. They estimated it was 1-3’ deep in the newer snow, for the most part, but a portion of it broke 15’+ deep and ran at the ground. Photo: S Reinsel

  • Via IG: “Large natural avalanche on the east side of redstreak peak down near West Yellowstone. 

    And then another natural one right on the shoulder of white peak on the boundary.” Photo: S. Mooney

     

  • Via IG: “Large natural avalanche on the east side of redstreak peak down near West Yellowstone. 

    And then another natural one right on the shoulder of white peak on the boundary.” Photo: S. Mooney

     

  • From IG message: "3 different slides lionhead area. One was very big the run out was 20 feet tall and quarter mile long" Photo: T. Urell

  • Across the road from Bacon Rind at 7,070' on a west facing slope I saw a small skier triggered slide that ran into the Gallatin River. 

  • On Buck Ridge today (3/5/23) we found fresh, unstable drifts. This fresh slab was 4-6" deep. Cracking like this is a sign that wind slabs will avalanche on steeper slopes. Photo: GNFAC

  • Skier triggered avalanche on Elephant Mtn. 3/4/23. SS-ASu-R2-D1.5-I

    Vertical Fall: ~700' Distance Traveled: ~1000' Aspect: 15 N Elevation of start zone: 9645'

  • Skier triggered deep slab avalanche on NE face of Hyalite Peak 3/4/23.

  • A cornice collapsed on Monday, triggering an avalanche on the slope below. Dave Zinn assesses the layers in the flank. Photo: GNFAC

  • A cornice collapsed on Monday triggering an avalanche on the slope below. Photo: GNFAC

  • A rider triggered an avalanche on a small slope in the Cabin Creek area. Photo: K Bye

  • A rider triggered an avalanche on a small slope in the Cabin Creek area. Photo: K Bye

  • From IG: Skiers near Mt. Blackmore on 2/24 saw a large avalanche on the east side of Mt. Blackmore that appeared to have happened in the last 24 hours.

  • From email 2/24/23: "Came across this very large cornice that appeared to have broken naturally sometime in the past 24 hours. Saw a few others that had broken recently throughout our tour, but none as large as this." E. Heiman

  • From email 2/24/23: "Triggered a small 2’ deep wind slab in new snow this afternoon.  NNE aspect 9,500’, approximately 38° slope.  Riding was excellent on all high North facing slopes and this was the only sign of instability we saw all day.  Wind was howling on the way out, lots of snow coming out of the trees and transporting at ridge tops."

  • "Seemed to be a decent sized slide runoff was pretty deep where it stopped in the trees figured it was probably two days old. Southwest facing. Roughly 44.86695° N, 111.24123° W"

  • From obs: "This afternoon my group of 4 was riding up out of Tepee Creek heading towards Cabin Creek and I set off this small slide on a northeast facing slope as I was coming down it. The slide broke about a foot deep on top of the packed layer of snow and was 150-200' wide at the crown. Thankfully it slid slowly, less than 100' and I was able to ride out of it. '

  • From obs: "This afternoon my group of 4 was riding up out of Tepee Creek heading towards Cabin Creek and I set off this small slide on a northeast facing slope as I was coming down it. The slide broke about a foot deep on top of the packed layer of snow and was 150-200' wide at the crown. Thankfully it slid slowly, less than 100' and I was able to ride out of it. '

  • From IG message: "Another one today. Back of buck creek. Triggered 100 yards above where I crossed below it in the safe zone, after I went by. No burials."

  • Surface hoar can often be seen as a grey stripe on the wall of your snowpit as was the case at Bacon Rind in the Southern Madison Range on 1/23. Photo: GNFAC

  • From Big Sky Ski Patrol 1/21/23: "skier triggered a surface wind slab in Wyoming Bowl that broke 8-12” deep. It propagated to an estimated 150’ wide- SS, R1/D1.5... The slide was small, no one was hurt, and the avalanche was reported (which we appreciate), with no further public involvement other than the trigger."

  • On a Jan. 16 tour into Beehive, we found the concerning layer of feathery surface hoar buried under 6" of snow. It is widespread from Big Sky through West Yellowstone and Cooke City. It has produced avalanches near Hebgen Lake, with more snow, it will likely produce avalanches in Beehive too. Photo: GNFAC

  • A photo of a skier-triggered avalanche above Hebgen Lake. Photo: S. Reinsel

  • Darren Johnson was a passionate skier, patroller, and wildland firefighter and this fund helps his memory live on. During the week of January 16, 2023, there are two events happening to help spread awareness about the DJ Fund and generate donations for the next recipients to attend National Avalanche School in October 2024. The first event is at the Independent Theatre on Tuesday, January 17. This charity event has a $10 entry fee which includes a raffle ticket to a silent auction. On Thursday, January 19, join us at Beehive Basin Brewery for a raffle and pint night in which $1 from every pint sold goes into the DJ Memorial Fund.

    To donate to the Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund visit djmemorialfund.org, or join us at these two exciting events hosted by Yellowstone Club Ski Patrol. Huge thanks to all who have sponsored and donated to these events.

Videos- Southern Madison

WebCams


Raynolds Pass, Looking N

Snowpit Profiles- Southern Madison

 

Select a snowpit on the map to view the profile image

Weather Forecast Southern Madison

Extended Forecast for

20 Miles S Big Sky MT

Winter Weather Advisory April 1, 06:00am until April 2, 12:00amClick here for hazard details and duration Winter Weather Advisory
  • This
    Afternoon

    This Afternoon: A 50 percent chance of snow, mainly after 2pm. The snow could be heavy at times.  Patchy blowing snow after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 30. Southwest wind 11 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.  Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

    Heavy Snow
    and Patchy
    Blowing Snow

    High: 30 °F

  • Tonight

    Tonight: A chance of snow before 10pm, then a chance of snow after midnight.  Widespread blowing snow, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Wind chill values as low as zero. Windy, with a south southwest wind 21 to 26 mph increasing to 28 to 33 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

    Chance Snow
    and Blowing
    Snow

    Low: 17 °F

  • Saturday

    Saturday: Snow.  Widespread blowing snow, mainly after 4pm. High near 27. Windy, with a south southwest wind 21 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

    Snow and
    Blowing Snow

    High: 27 °F

  • Saturday
    Night

    Saturday Night: Snow, mainly before midnight.  Widespread blowing snow, mainly before midnight. Low around 13. Wind chill values as low as -5. Windy, with a south southwest wind 24 to 33 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

    Snow and
    Blowing Snow

    Low: 13 °F

  • Sunday

    Sunday: Snow likely, mainly after noon.  Patchy blowing snow before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 23. Windy, with a west southwest wind 23 to 28 mph increasing to 32 to 37 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 41 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

    Snow Likely
    and Patchy
    Blowing Snow

    High: 23 °F

  • Sunday
    Night

    Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of snow, mainly before midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 9. Southwest wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 6 to 11 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.  New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

    Chance Snow
    then Slight
    Chance Snow

    Low: 9 °F

  • Monday

    Monday: Snow likely, mainly after noon.  Partly sunny, with a high near 25. South southwest wind 5 to 14 mph becoming north northeast in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

    Chance Snow
    then Snow
    Likely

    High: 25 °F

  • Monday
    Night

    Monday Night: Snow likely.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 11. North wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

    Snow Likely

    Low: 11 °F

  • Tuesday

    Tuesday: Snow likely.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 21.

    Snow Likely

    High: 21 °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  <<  
 
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