21-22

This morning we toured up to Gallatin Peak from Beehive Basin. On the approach we noted several large old wet loose releases on south to east facing aspects (photo). We ascended Gallatin Peak on the west face and observed a breakable wind crust ~3cm thick. This crust sheared very easily (broke off while isolating), but no propagation was observed while performing slope cuts. During our descent of the north face, we noticed that this crust was present on the northeast chute from the summit but much thicker (~8cm) and supportive, and was mostly absent from the north face below the northeast chute. A quick hand shear on the north face yielded an easy, planar shear at ~15cm (photo).  At the base of the peak we observed the remnants of a small natural slab, which appeared to have failed at this same interface (photo). During our exit, at around 10am, the sun was already doing its work and we observed fresh pinwheels on an eastern aspect (photo)

Avalanche on the NW face of Crown Butte. Estimated 4/24/22. Photo taken 4/25/22. Photo: M. Sirounian

Noticed this large slide on the northwest side of crown butte. We were guessing that it happened the previous day. 

Toured in Beehive and Middle Basins this morning. Observed some past dry avalanche small activity on NW facing slopes, likely natural during the storm. Snow on E facing slopes at ~9300ft became wet by 9 am and we observed lots of natural pinwheeling and some very small loose wet activity on SE facing slopes above and below. Sunny and rapid warming. Came across a small loose wet avalanche from yesterday in Beehive on a SW facing slope just N of the Prayer Flags area, picture in attached. Excellent skiing that morning before it got warm.

From email: "Saw debris from a fairly recent slab avi that slid in lookers right of arrowhead bowl (tough to see in photo but the crowns appeared to be a couple feet deep).  There were a bunch of other debris piles on similar aspects but I was too far for photos.  They probably slid on Friday night [4/22/22] as the debris had a few inches on top. "