Snow Observations List

We rode into Taylor Fork today 02/07/2024. We found 12" of new snow that has fallen over the last few days. This new snow fell onto a very weak snowpack and our stability tests yielded poor results, ECTP 14 on a south-facing slope at 9200'. Southern aspects have a stout 2" crust that formed from last week's warm temperatures, over weak faceted snow. This is where we saw failure in our stability tests. 

With poor visibility, we were not able to see any recent avalanche activity. However, we know the recipe is there. A uniformly weak snowpack has received a large amount of snow pushing it to the edge. Getting on or below terrain steeper than 30 degrees is not recommended. 

Low clouds moved in by early afternoon and the wind was steady and moderate from the southwest. No new snow fell while we rode today. 

The stability at Bacon Rind was very poor, avalanches were likely, and we avoided (and strongly recommend avoiding) avalanche terrain. We triggered booming collapses and watched cracks shoot out across terrain features and snow shake off nearby trees for the entirety of our tour from the meadow near the car to the top of the Skillet. We avoided steeper meadows and gave the "Skillet" (the primary avalanche path where we were) a wide berth because we felt triggering a slide was so likely. 

There was 8" of new snow. The upper half of the snowpack was a slab, and the lower half was airy depth hoar stressed to the point of failure. Snowpit results were ECTP11 and 12 failing 35cm down from the surface. As we have noted previously, do not trifle with this season's snowpack. It is exceptionally weak and will be slow to stabilize based on all evidence thus far this season. 

Gabe Gassman and I rode buck ridge to the wilderness boundary at Macatee basin on a LE patrol mission. 6-8 inches of new snow fell since yesterday. Snow depth was variable as it had been affected by wind, but wind during the day was calm to 10mph. No avalanching of the new snow was observed.

Skied conservatively terrain below 30 degrees today. Widespread whomping. Along the steeper part of the  uptrack, we experienced settling and shooting cracks.

We agreed that in steeper terrain this would have led to an avalanche. 

Four of us (all with 20-40 years backcountry experience) skied the lower angle slopes just south of the skillet at Bacon Rind. There was a well worn skin track from past weeks and lots of old down-tracks buried beneath ~8-10" of new snow. We heard numerous large-scale collapses and witnessed the development of propagating tensile fractures on a 20°-25° slope along the skin track (see photo/video). No need to dig a pit on days like this. We did not venture onto or view any steeper terrain, so we saw no natural avalanches.  The new snow seems well-adhered to the older snowpack. All instability is tied to the lowest 20-30cm faceted sequence at the bottom. 

We skied this location 4 times this week. Each time, we experienced collapsing and fracturing within the snowpack and stuck to skiing conservative, low-angle lines. The takeaway? Previous skier traffic may not indicate safety or diminish avalanche danger. If conditions are even somewhat questionable, stick to low-angle slopes or go nordic skiing (on groomed trails). 

We dug a pit near the top of the skin track, and when approaching the location we experienced a big wumph. After digging our pit, we got a ECT3 on the more recently buried weak layer. 

Went snowmobiling/skiing below White Peak. We saw older crowns down low in the meadows. While skinning up a mellow south facing nose off white peak, we dug down and got a ECTP15 2.5 feet below the surface. About 8-10 inches of snow fell throughout the day up high. As we continued to skin up higher, we observed numerous collapses before we decided to call it a day. We observed that aspects without a crust layer from this week were more reactive, although we saw propagation on solar aspects with a defined crust as well. 

We rode into Taylor Fork today towards the Beaver Creek wilderness boundary. We saw multiple natural avalanches that happened during the last week, some newer than others and ranging in size (some in gullies others 50-75' wide). Many of these avalanches were old enough to be unrelated to the recent warming. However, at the wilderness boundary on an east-facing slope, we saw one natural wet slab avalanche and several smaller wet loose avalanches that likely happened yesterday during the warm sunny weather. 

We felt a large collapse while approaching our snowpit location on an east-facing slope at 9300'. The pit was mostly faceted snow capped by a small cohesive slab and crust. We got an ECTP2, which is a very unstable result. We continued riding and after parking felt another collapse just 20' from our snowmobiles. We dug on a southwest-facing slope at 8800' and again had poor stability test results of ECTP6. Facets near the ground were moist but our stability tests were failing on dry facets above. 

Clouds began rolling in around 11 AM, and a strong southwest wind remained throughout the day. Almost all slopes had a crust on them and temperatures remained cold enough that they did not soften. 

Observed collapsing and shooting cracks near top of meadows around 7700 feet. Dug a pit in this area as well. Snow was 80 cm deep. Our test yielded unstable results - ECTP 11 35cm down on the obvious surgery facets. Slab seemed to be stiffening with warmer temps. 

Great walk, much better travel than other areas. Started noticing cracking, collapsing, and whumfing around 7800' on east facing slopes. ECTP 11 on our stability test. Much better snow than bacon rind and other similar areas.

Heard two large whumpfs when heading up the low angle slopes of Telemark Meadows. Dug a quick pit and found it was collapsing 30cm (rough estimate) deep on the second weak layer from the top. Lightly snowing, not much accumulation.

From email: "A friend and I were riding in lower Tepee today, staying on low angle terrain because of the current avalanche conditions. When side hilling on a 24 degree slope, I saw cracks shoot out approximately 100 feet around me. It was a smaller slope, but things are still pretty sensitive. This was a north facing slope in a valley that shouldn’t have been too wind loaded. "

We rode into Tepee Basin today to practice rescue skills with snow rangers from different districts across the Custer-Gallatin Forest. On top of a great day riding and practicing rescue skills we saw a natural avalanche above the first meadow of Tepee. This avalanche is old and likely happened a few days ago near the end of the last storm on 01/20. NE facing slope at ~8500 feet. 

There is plenty of snow on the ground to practice rescue. Now is as good of a time as any to get out and practice your skills! 

Quick skin up to the top of the far south Telemark Meadows point.  Lots of thumping in the flat untracked areas up the the top.  Cracks not easily seen as dense snow covered them as they spread.  Quick Pit, 45cm depth.  About 4" of new heavy snow on top of yesterdays sun drenched layer.  Below lots of loose facets and 2 distinct frozen layers buried 15-20cm below surface to the ground.  0.3" SWE last night.  24 degree slope, south facing.  Air and Snow 30F.

Observed several natural avalanches on the ridge above the cabin in Cabin Creek. Also saw lots of shooting cracks and triggered a small slide on a short steep hill.

Had a nice tour in tele meadows in the AM given the avy danger. Snowpack was 5-8” of wetter snow on top of the old facet layer. 
Every time we stepped away from the skin track or skied untracked snow heard a few whumpfs and saw shooting cracks (most in the few foot range but a few extended 40-50’ across the slope). 

Natural & remote trigger avalanches observed on most steep terrain. 

Went for a short tour near bacon rind, next pulloff to the south, toured up the burned out hill right across the street. It was real windy leaving my vehicle. Some notable whoomphing, and cracks forming 30 ft around me. I probably won’t be riding down there for a bit, the low angle stuff I like is too thin. Real thin down there with only about 40-60cm on the ground. Got a CT1 SC  Q2 breaking about middle of snowpack, ectn 2, and ectp24.