Photos

This avalanche in Airplane Bowl off Lionhead Ridge, is south facing at 9,000'. The avalanche was 1-2' deep, 100' vertical and 150' wide (estimated). It likely broke late Sunday or Monday (12/31), during or immediately after the Avalanche Warning. Weak, faceted snow could not support the weekends snowstorm and there were widespread slides. Photo: GNFAC

A snowmobiler triggered this slide in the 3rd Yellowmule of Buck Ridge on Monday (12/31). It was an east facing slope. Photo: K. Crisman

Skiers observed many natural avalanches in Beehive Basin yesterday (12/31). "My partner counted 12+ including this one... All avalanche activity was on E or NE slopes which had been hammered by the winds." Photo: M. Cohen

From the Yellowstone Club Ski Patrol, " ...we noted 2 natural avalanches along one of our roads. They both are at about 7000ft and had a relatively shallow snowpack. The crowns were roughly 2ft in depth and ran on facets near the ground. One slide looks like it released during the yesterday’s storm and the other appears to have gone either overnight or this morning." Photo: YCSP

From the Yellowstone Club Ski Patrol, " ...we noted 2 natural avalanches along one of our roads. They both are at about 7000ft and had a relatively shallow snowpack. The crowns were roughly 2ft in depth and ran on facets near the ground. One slide looks like it released during the yesterday’s storm and the other appears to have gone either overnight or this morning." Photo: YCSP

From an email, " Patrollers also spotted a natural avalanche outside of the ski area boundary in the Eglise Bowl. The photo was taken from a distance but the aspect is NE and the elevation is around 8500ft. " Photo: YCSP

Splitboarders on a dawn patrol got cracking and collapsing as they ascended Mt. Ellis. They stuck to the lower slopes. The snow stability worsened from their trip the day before. Wind-loading occurred down low which made conditions ripe for cracks and whumphs. Photo: W. Ritter

This photo was taken this morning (12/31) after the skies cleared. This avalanche looks to be a soft slab of new snow. Photo: B. Fredlund

Every Friday night at the Soda Butte Lodge we offer a 1 hour lecture on current conditions and avalanche awareness. Every Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. we have a beacon park at either Round Lake or off the Lulu Pass road. Photo: L. Zukiewicz

This pit was dug in the same general area as the natural avalanche shown in part (1) of this observation. The pit shows a faceted snowpack capped by the recent storm snow.  Photo: A. Pohl

Skiers in the northern Bridgers noticed this natural slab avalanche that released during the most recent storm cycle.  Photo: A. Pohl

Snowboarders in Hyalite observed collapsing and cracking of the new snow near Maid of the Mist. They also found unstable test results (ECTP7). Photo: C. Grote

This small slab of new snow was triggered by a skier on Woody Ridge in Cooke City. Photo: N. Stayner

Skiers near Blackmore found the new snow to be failing at the new/old snow interface. They were able to trigger this soft slab of new snow with a ski pole whack. Photo: G. Antonioli

Snow bikers in the northern Gallatin Range "witnessed a very reactive new snow layer in all wind loaded areas." (12/30). Photo: J. Polus

Snow bikers in the northern Gallatin Range found unstable test results on the early December facet layer (12/30). "While snow biking... We dug a snow pit at 9100 ft elevation & discovered a weak layer that propagated at 28 on the ECT test about 18 inches down. The snow below that area was all loosely faceted." Photo: J. Polus

We rode into the 2nd Yellowmule of Buck Ridge and found 2 instabilities: new snow, and facets that formed in early December. The facets are buried 1.5' under the surface and broke with an ECTP24. Two weeks ago we dug in the same spot and got ECTP10. Things are slowly getting stronger, but this weekend's snowstorm may be enough to break it and avalanche. Photo: GNFAC

Skiers observed debris below the Banana Couloir on Ross Peak from an avalanche that failed during the most recent storm cycle. Photo: G. Antonioli