GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Mon Feb 25, 2013
Bridger Range Madison Range Gallatin Range
Lionhead area near West Yellowstone Cooke City
Yesterday, the snowpack received a well deserved break. After a fast and furious storm on Saturday, clear skies and calm weather over the past 24 hours has allowed the snowpack some time to adjust.
This slide was triggered by a snowmobiler in the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone last Tuesday (2-19). Fortunately nobody was caught. Although this slide was triggered nearly a week ago, it's a good reminder of what's still possible in the backcountry. Photo Brett R.
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Mon Feb 25, 2013
GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sun Feb 24, 2013
Northern Madison Range
GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sat Feb 23, 2013
Northern Madison Range
More than 8 inches of snow has fallen in the past five hours in the mountains around Big Sky. This hefty shot of snow will create an assortment of avalanche problems. The primary avalanche concern will be wind loaded slopes. Upper elevation terrain leeward to west-southwest winds will receive the heaviest loading. Today, natural avalanches are likely and human triggered avalanches are very likely on wind loaded slopes which have a HIGH avalanche danger.
We investigated this south facing avalanche that was snowmobile triggered on Tuesday, Feb 19th. The avalanche was a hard wind slab sitting on facets. It was up to 3 feet deep and was likely trigggered from the thin part of the slope. The slide ran 525' vertical and was 300' wide with an average slope angle of 40 degrees. Thin areas of a slope are where avalanches can be initiated from. No one was caught. Photo: GNFAC