23-24

Wet slab north of Texas mdw, Bridgers

Playground
Bridger Range
Code
WS-NL-R2-D2-O
Elevation
8000
Aspect
E
Latitude
45.83220
Longitude
-110.93400
Notes

From obs. 3/23/24: "Walked out the north gate of bridger to the playground. Just north of Texas meadows observed a slide that ran sometime earlier in the week on a E aspect. Seems to have been triggered naturally by a loose wet coming out of the steep rocky terrain above. Ran about 200 feet was about 50-60 feet wide and crown was roughly 2-3 feet deep. Snow around the slide and on similar aspects was wet in the top 40 cms or so."

Number of slides
1
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Wet slab avalanche
Trigger
Avalanche triggered by loose snow avalanche
R size
2
D size
2
Bed Surface
O - Old snow
Problem Type
Wet Snow
Slab Thickness
30.0 inches
Vertical Fall
200ft
Slab Width
60.00ft
Snow Observation Source
Slab Thickness units
inches
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Single Avalanche
Advisory Year

From obs.: "Walked out the north gate of Bridger to the playground. Just north of Texas meadows observed a slide that ran sometime earlier in the week on a E aspect. Seems to have been triggered naturally by a loose wet coming out of the steep rocky terrain above. Ran about 200 feet was about 50-60 feet wide and crown was roughly 2-3 feet deep. Snow around the slide and on similar aspects was wet in the top 40 cms or so." Photo: C. Bayles

Bridger Range, 2024-03-24

From obs.: "Walked out the north gate of Bridger to the playground. Just north of Texas meadows observed a slide that ran sometime earlier in the week on a E aspect. Seems to have been triggered naturally by a loose wet coming out of the steep rocky terrain above. Ran about 200 feet was about 50-60 feet wide and crown was roughly 2-3 feet deep. Snow around the slide and on similar aspects was wet in the top 40 cms or so." Photo: C. Bayles

Bridger Range, 2024-03-24

From obs.: "Walked out the north gate of Bridger to the playground. Just north of Texas meadows observed a slide that ran sometime earlier in the week on a E aspect. Seems to have been triggered naturally by a loose wet coming out of the steep rocky terrain above. Ran about 200 feet was about 50-60 feet wide and crown was roughly 2-3 feet deep. Snow around the slide and on similar aspects was wet in the top 40 cms or so." Photo: C. Bayles

Bridger Range, 2024-03-24

Compression Test and Obs Beehive/Middle Basin

Date
Activity
Snowboarding

Would like to preface this by saying my buddy and I have limited experience testing and poor technique, but we gave it hell anyway.

We dug a pit on the east side of the ridge between beehive and middle basin, and did a compression test. The column was somewhat poorly isolated, and we were not able to get it to fail with a normal tap test. By stomping on it from above, we got a fracture at about 75cm depth on what looked like an earlier season rain crust. Everything above that level was very dense, stable and hard to dig.  The surface had about 10cm fresh snow with a hard crust below. Image of snow profile is attached. Pit coordinates were 45.32897, -111.38197.  Overall we felt like this aligned with the forecast quite well. Snowpack appeared very stable and cohesive until it got down to a depth below the crust at 75cm.

While traveling, we saw significant snow accumulation midday and clearing in the afternoon, followed by light snow in the evening. Test slopes and cornices we tested were stable, and we didn't see shooting cracks or hear any whumpfing. No natural avalanches observed, but visibility was poor most of the day. Wind across the ridge was substantial with notable blowing snow, blowing from the west and southwest.

Thanks for all you do!

Region
Northern Madison
Location (from list)
Middle Basin
Observer Name
Sean

Wet slab observed N of Texas Meadows

Date
Activity
Skiing

Observed a D1 Natural wet slab avalanche in the Playground, just North of Texas Meadows. It seemed to have been triggered from a wet loose avalanche that released from the cliffband above. Estimated that the avalanche occurred on 3/22 during the period of warming after the snow tapered off.  Crown was estimated at 1.5-2', approximate slope angle 35-40 degrees, E-SE slope, debris was 4-5' deep. Slide ran approximately 275'. HS just below the toe of debris was 115cm.

Also observed wet loose activity in S facing run off Texas (first run to the W of the summit)-photo attached.  

Region
Bridger Range
Location (from list)
The Playground
Observer Name
Dan Sandberg

poor test scores near history rock

Date
Activity
Snowboarding

at history rock today we did an extended column test and a regular column test. Both tests were performed a few feet from one and other, and both pits were dug to the ground on a 26ish degree slope. The extended column test fully propagated on the 4th tap from the elbow scoring ectp 14. The regular column test failed after one tap from the wrist. Both failed on the sugary facet near the bottom of the snowpack I did not record any exact depth measurements or perform further tests. estimated coordinates (45.48811,-111.00942) I think it was the first powder field. 

Region
Northern Gallatin
Location (from list)
History Rock
Observer Name
Nathan Ross

Collapsing

Date
Activity
Skiing

Collapse with shooting cracks approx 50 feet out

1 skiers boot broke through the crust layer during transitioning and sank to the waist causing collapse of about 2” according to standing skiers feeling of drop

elevation: 9940

Republic side of woody ridge

Region
Cooke City
Location (from list)
Woody Ridge
Observer Name
Devin Kohn

Mixed bag in the bridgers

Date
Activity
Skiing

Walked out the north gate of bridger to the playground. Just north of Texas meadows observed a slide that ran sometime earlier in the week on a E aspect. Seems to have been triggered naturally by a loose wet coming out of the steep rocky terrain above. Ran about 200 feet was about 50-60 feet wide and crown was roughly 2-3 feet deep. Snow around the slide and on similar aspects was wet in the top 40 cms or so. 
 

 

Around the corner dug a pit on a N aspect. Snow was significantly drier and deeper. HS 160 with plenty of weak snow at the bottom still. ECTX but did get failure and propagation on that lower layer with extra hits. PST 45/100 on the same layer 120 cms down. 

Region
Bridger Range
Location (from list)
Playground
Observer Name
Charlie Bayles