Photos

This wet loose avalanche is a great example of where they often occur. Rocks absorb extra heat from the sun and can quickly melt and destabilize the snow. Either move under areas like this early in the morning (as we did), or if you have to travel under them later in the day, move quickly.

"Today (Saturday, 4/19), I triggered a small soft-slab avalanche at about 7,700' on a E-NE aspect on the headwall between Frazier Lake and Angier Lake in the northern Bridgers. The slide was maybe 6" deep, 20' wide and ran 100-200 feet and involved only the new storm snow over the icy, thick crust underneath. No one was caught or injured, though I had a bit of a scare because my dog was right in the path (luckily she outran it)." 

"Today (Saturday, 4/19), I triggered a small soft-slab avalanche at about 7,700' on a E-NE aspect on the headwall between Frazier Lake and Angier Lake in the northern Bridgers. The slide was maybe 6" deep, 20' wide and ran 100-200 feet and involved only the new storm snow over the icy, thick crust underneath. No one was caught or injured, though I had a bit of a scare because my dog was right in the path (luckily she outran it)." 

Near Cooke City on 4/19 skiers triggered a dry loose avalanche and a small wind slab avalanche. The wind slab broke in a drifted pocket near the base of cliffs, 3-6" deep x 10' wide. Northeast aspect, 10,200'. Photo: GNFAC

"yesterday (4/18), saw this one wet loose slide that naturally started off some rocks. Decent size by the bottom. Other than that, just some spiff. Surprisingly didn’t see any big wind slabs trigger, despite the widespread wind effect in the northern Bridger’s. Lots of wind scour on southerly aspects. Northern aspects had wind loading." Photo: W. Landry

We went through Flanders' Creek to the Flanders Weather Station to pull it for the season. We descended to the Grotto Falls TH via the Winter Dance Route. The surface snow got wet as the day progressed, but we saw no wet snow avalanche activity. I wouldn't be surprised if there was limited activity as the day progressed.

Recent warm temperatures have almost universally affected snow surfaces. North-facing slopes above 9500' elevation remain dry, and pockets of dry snow exist at lower elevations on shaded slopes. South-facing slopes have cycled a few times, and the corn snow is coming in reasonably well. 

There were no signs of dry snow instability. Photo: GNFAC

Screenshot of winds from Lulu Pass wind station during the storm.

Winds were cranking at ridge top elevation, transporting what soft snow there was. Minimal hazard formation. I spotted one fresh wind slab avalanche near Hardscrabble. The slide ran several hundred feet in steep terrain but was very thin (R1,D1). Photo: GNFAC

Winds were cranking at ridge top elevation, transporting what soft snow there was. Minimal hazard formation. I spotted one fresh wind slab avalanche near Hardscrabble. Photo: GNFAC

Old wind slab, South East on Scotch Bonnet. Photo: Anonymous

Apr 7 A Skier triggered a 6”x20’ wide wind slab on a N aspect at 9,800’.

Apr 7 A Skier triggered a 6”x20’ wide wind slab on a N aspect at 9,800’.

On Apr 7 Skiers triggered D1-D1.5 wet loose on SE aspect at 10,000’.

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Apr 5 Wind slabs were still reactive. We triggered 3 small, 3-8" deep x 5-15' wide, hard wind (1F+) slabs on convex test slopes well below the main ridgelines. 9,800', NE aspects. Photo: GNFAC

Apr 5 Wind slabs were still reactive. We triggered 3 small, 3-8" deep x 5-15' wide, hard wind (1F+) slabs on convex test slopes well below the main ridgelines. 9,800', NE aspects. Also triggered one softer (4F) wind slab just below the high ridgeline, 10,200', NE aspect. 10-15' wide x 6-8" deep (Pictured). Photo: GNFAC

Apr 5 We saw a couple 3-6" deep natural wind slab avalanches and a few dry loose slides that looked to have happened within the last 24 hours. Photo: GNFAC

"We went on a tour in the Bridgers today [Apr 5], we ascended the east ridge of Naya Nuki to the entrance of the Great One. Wind was blowing and we were being careful about potential wind slabs up high.

Skier 1 ski cut the top of the chute and produced a small wind slab that ran to the break in the chute and continued another 100 vert down the east apron. After all meeting up halfway down, skier 2 proceeded to ski the E facing apron. A wind slab propagated and carried skier 2 roughly 300 vert down the apron where skier 2 was able to swim out of the fall line and came to a rest on top of the debris. Everyone was okay aside two missing ski poles."