Photos

Skier triggered wind slab reported north of Bridger Bowl on 13 January. Photo: B. Henry

Skier triggered wind slab reported north of Bridger Bowl on 13 January. Photo: B. Henry

On a west facing slope in Sheep Creek, we found the storm snow from the last two weeks breaking on a weak layer. Photo: GNFAC

As we left Cooke City on 13 January the winds picked up and we saw huge plumes of snow coming off ridgetops. This will create new drifts of snow that will avalanche under the weight of a skier or rider. Photo: GNFAC

These natural avalanches likely occurred on Saturday, January 11. New snow and wind loaded slopes and we saw other slides as we rode around. Photo: GNFAC

This natural avalanche in 3rd Yellowmule on Buck Ridge likely occurred on Saturday, January 11. It was a wind loaded and very steep slope. It broke on facets near the ground and was big enough to bury a person (D2). The size was 2-3' deep, 200' wide and 75' vertical. Photo: GNFAC

This natural avalanche in 3rd Yellowmule on Buck Ridge likely occurred on Saturday, January 11. It was a wind loaded and very steep slope. It broke on facets near the ground and was big enough to bury a person (D2). The size was 2-3' deep, 200' wide and 75' vertical. Photo: GNFAC

From email: "Avalanches near the Blacktail Plateau... wind loadeded, easterly aspects, and elevations were about 7,500'."

Photo: B. Fredlund

From email: "Avalanches near the Blacktail Plateau... wind loadeded, easterly aspects, and elevations were about 7,500'."

Photo: B. Fredlund

Yellowstone Club Ski Patrol triggered a slide with explosives breaking at the ground during avalanche mitigation work on Friday, 1/10/2020.

From Yellowstone Club Patrol: "It’s a NE facing slope at 8500’ ... got an avalanche to release on an old layer of well defined surface hoar (perhaps from mid-December). In some areas it stepped to ground. The crown was 2-4’ deep and the avalanche was recorded as R3/D2. The avalanche slid to the bottom of the runout and placed 3-12’ of snow in the road and completely blocked the road. This was a relatively large slide for this particular path this early in the season."

Photo: YC Patrol

Natural avalanche on a steep east facing windloaded slope of Miller Ridge. Photo taken 1/10/2020. Photo: B. Zavora.

Snowmobile triggered avalanche on the WSW face of Chimney Rock near Daisy Pass. Appeared fresh on 1/10/2020. Photo: B. Zavora.

Small windslab on the apron of the Buttcrack Chute in Middle Basin. Likely broke 1/9 or morning of 1/10/2020. Photo: B. Gill

Natural avalanche observed just west of McAtee Basin, near Buck Ridge. Likely broke on 1/9/2019 or morning of 1/10/2019. Photo: J. Gerard

Skier triggered slide on Town Hill.  A southerly aspect at 8200'.  It was triggered with a ski cut, and no one was caught.  Specs: about 2' deep, 50' wide, and it ran about 75' vertical. Photo: B. Fredlund

We found 115cm of snow and a poor snow structure. Unfortunately it was foggy and we had zero visibility. Our snow pit site was marginal, but it's always worth taking a look. Weak, faceted snow was on the ground, very similar to most slopes in the Madison Range. Photo: GNFAC

Photo: J. Bales

Large cornice collapse in Middle Basin. The cornice broke 10' back from the edge, 6-7' deep, and ran 800-1000' vertical. The collapse was triggered by a dog in another party. Photo: GNFAC

Large cornice collapse in Middle Basin. The cornice broke 10' back from the edge, 6-7' deep, and ran 800-1000' vertical. The collapse was triggered by a dog in another party. Photo: GNFAC