Photos

Cornices will be a problem for the remainder of the season. It's best to give these overhanging chunks of snow a wide berth along the ridgelines and limit time on slopes below. Photo: B. Zavora 

This slide occurred on the steep, south facing slopes across from Bacon Rind in the southern Gallatin Range. Areas where the snowpack is thinner were heavily affected by above freezing temps earlier in the week. Fortunately, cooler temps over the weekend will reduce the potential for wet loose avalanches. Photo: N. Marion

A wet avalanche took out some trees on the Sage Creek trail in Paradise Valley. Photo: J. Watson

A mountain goat contemplates the loose, wet snow avalanches in the northern Madison Range. Photo: B. VandenBos

Large cornices are the main avalanche concern around Cooke City. Give these bus sized chunks of snow a wide berth along the ridgelines and avoid spending time on slopes below. Photo: GNFAC 

Wet loose avalanches on sun exposed slopes were seen up Hyalite early Tuesday afternoon. Photo: H. Coppolillo

Wet loose avalanches can be seen in lower elevation gullies on southwest facing slopes of Sphinx Mountain. Photo: B. VandenBos

Roller balls are a sign that the surface snow is getting moist. As these become more numerous and grow in size, they indicate that the surface snow is getting wet enough to create shallow, loose snow avalanches. Photo: H. Coppolillo

This layer of graupel, small ball-bearing pellets, is 30-60 cm under the surface in Cooke City and was responsible for some avalanches over the weekend. Graupel bonds quickly because of it's round shape and this instability will not last long. Photo: J. Schutz

A rider noted multiple natural avalanches around Cooke City over the weekend (3/10-3/11). Photo: J. Schutz

A cornice fall triggered this large avalanche over the weekend (3/10-3/11). Cornices are massive and can break naturally and trigger large slides on slopes below. Give them extra distance along ridgelines and avoid traveling below them. Photo: J. Schutz

Wind slabs were observed near Cooke City over the weekend. Photo: J. Schutz

As temperatures continue to rise, so do the odds of encountering wet loose avalanches on solar aspects.  Rollerballs and pin wheels indicate that the snow surface is getting wet and losing strength.  Photo: G. Antonioli

Wind slabs 1-2' thick were triggered by skiers on Saturday 3/10. These are good examples of wind loaded slopes on cross-loaded features. 

A skier triggered and was partially buried in this avalanche on Republic Mountain on Saturday 3/10. From e-mail:

"[This avalanche] popped off early in the morning (7 am) and partially buried my partner. He broke it skinning after me over a 35-40° rollover. The slide was 1-2’ deep, 250’ wide, and ran 200’ into some dense trees. It broke as a very dense wind slab that broke on another dense slab. The second avalanche we noted was while I was skiing down town hill at the end of the day (1 pm). This avi was very similar, 1-1.5’ deep, 150’ wide, and ran 500’. No one was caught in [the second] avalanche. Pretty touchy conditions out there today..."

Wind slab being triggered on Mt. Republic on Saturday 3/10. Skiers reported touchy conditions, and another skier triggered and was partially buried in a similar sized slide to this one. 

Debris of cornice avalanche in the Hourglass chute north of Bridger Bowl that was triggered by a passing skier. Slid on Saturday 3/10. Strong wind has loaded huge cornices to a breaking point. Photo: K. Casperson

Debris of cornice triggered avalanche in the Hourglass chute north of Bridger Bowl. Slid on Saturday 3/10. Photo: M. Lavery

Wet loose avalanches ran naturally when sun warmed up a few inches of new snow last week. Be cautious of travel on and below steep, sunny slope when the snow surface is wet, or if you see rollerballs or natural wet avalanches. Photo: GNFAC

Cornices are massive throughout the advisory area. Avoid slopes directly below and keep a far distance back from the edge of ridgelines. Cornices can break farther back than expected. They will weaken and break naturally with warmer temperatures and sun. Photo: GNFAC