Snow Observations List

Shep
Northern Gallatin
Divide Cirque
Divide Peak
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

Snow pack of 108cm on a 25 NE facing slope at 9,625'

Observed CT11 Q2 at new/old interface, 93cm, as well as an ECTN13 Q2 on what we believe to be a buried layer of surface hoar at 26cm. Also had some warming of the surface.

With the poor pit performance we decided to not ascend to the ridge and ski the intermediate terrain in the cirque, then out the drainage.

Full Snow Observation Report
G. Kalkowski
Cooke City
Henderson Bench
Henderson Bench Avy
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

Here’s an avalanche we saw on December 2nd 2022 in cooke city on the north side of Henderson mountain just above lulu road.

Full Snow Observation Report
@coldfear
Cooke City
Henderson Bench
Avalanche on Henderson Bench
Snow Obsdrvation includes images
R. H
Northern Gallatin
Lick Creek
Lick Creek
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

I toured in Lick Creek yesterday and thought I'd share a few things we noticed. Hopefully they are helpful observations!

While the skin track was still relatively flat and cutting through sloping meadows, we noticed a small sun crust on a southern aspect. 

As we skinned through the front side skiing zone, we noticed evidence of wind affected snow. We found some strong layers that sounded hollow, sometimes underneath ~2 inches of snow. As we gained the ridgeline, the wind slab became more obvious. It cracked under my weight, but I didn't see any shooting cracks or distinct collapses.

Full Snow Observation Report
H. Darby
Southern Madison
Bacon Rind
Bacon Rind Propagation
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

Toured up to Bacon Rind today and skied meadows off of the ridge. Noted many collapses and whumpfs in the snowpack as we ascended east aspects to the ridge. Looking toward Ernie Miller ridge, we noted an old crown in the main bowl just below the summit. It was on an E-NE aspect, 200 or more feet wide and looked to be filled in with new snow but was still visible. Looking east from the top of the ridge, we noted another crown on a west aspect that looked to be about 100' wide and deep. 

Dug a pit at 8700' on a W aspect. HS was 70cm. We got an ECTP12 45 cm up from the ground at the interface between wind packed snow and a layer of .5-1mm facets and mixed forms. That layer made up the bottom 45cm of the snowpack in that area. 

Dug another pit at 8800' on an E aspect. HS was 115cm. We got an ECTP 14 50cm up from the ground on that same interface as described above. The bottom 50cm of the snowpack looked to be facets and mixed forms. The upper 65cm in that area was a mixture of different layers of wind packed grains that ranged from F to 4F hardness. 

Coverage on the descent is adequate, similar if not better than any point midwinter last season. Under skis, the snow in the burn/forest feels unconsolidated and very sugary. 

Full Snow Observation Report
A. Dunn
Dillon Area
West Pioneer Mountains
Unstable in Pioneers
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

Early season snow recon outside of Maverick Mountain Ski Area boundary. Cracking of surface slab on easterly aspect at 8000 ft (see pics). Well developed weak layer about mid-pack that formed during November. Several storms the first week of December put down a 1-2 foot slab on top of this weak layer. Cohesiveness of slab varies by aspect and elevation. Wind and sun exposed slopes more reactive due to higher slab density. Areas protected from wind were not as reactive with no cracking experienced. Spatial variability is high with a shallow snowpack. See picture of quick pit showing major layering on north facing aspect at 8400 ft. Height of snow between 65-75 cm. Notable results were CTM 11 with a sudden collapse fracture character at 35cm up from the ground at November/December snow interface. ECTN 11 on same layer. The slab was not stiff enough in this protected location to propagate however this pit is representative of poor structure that is widespread. 

Also, snowmobilers reported avalanches on some of the steep roadcuts on the Pioneer Scenic Byway.

Full Snow Observation Report
Z. Peterson
Cooke City
Goose Lake
Natural on Fox
Snow Obsdrvation includes images
Z. Peterson
Cooke City
Sheep Mountain
Naturals North of Cooke City
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

Large collapses on primarily solar aspects (S/SE, ~9,500’)

Ectx results on a north facing slope ~9,500’

Full Snow Observation Report
GNFAC
Cooke City
Republic Mountain
Natural avalanches West of Cooke, and in YNP
Snow Obsdrvation includes images
E. Jeannette
Northern Gallatin
Lick Creek
Lick Creek Dense Wind Slabs
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

At the saddle between the front and backside of Lick Creek we found 110cm of snow with very dense windslabs. These were firm and cohesive, with the firmest being between 100 and 90cm. Our layer of most concern was at 65cm but was difficult to impact and we felt confident our weight alone even in shallow areas would not impact this layer, we skied the front side however due to time constraints. 

Full Snow Observation Report
J. Onan
Southern Madison
Ernie Miller Ridge
Natural slide and poor stability on Ernie Miller Ridge
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

We toured to Ernie Miller today and saw a natural avalanche on a NE slope around 9600 ft. We heard and felt multiple collapses on our way in. We dug a pit on an east facing slope around 9300 ft where we found 105 cm of snow. We got a ECTN 2 result, failing on an interface about 15cm from the surface and ECTP5 failing 40 cm from the surface.

Full Snow Observation Report
M. Cohen
Cooke City
Mt Fox
Large Natural on Fox, Collapsing
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

From IG 12/3: Hey guys, just getting back from Cooke. Confirming more of what you saw, lots of large natural avalanches up high. Most notable was this massive slide on fox, looks to have broke 2-6’ deep and over 1000’ wide. Couldn’t quite see the toe from our tour but it looked to have run over 1000’ vertical. Never have seen one so large on Fox… we stuck on sub 25° terrain which was hard to move in. Lots of whumphing but not much (if any) cracking...

Full Snow Observation Report
Anonymous
Cooke City
Republic Creek
Collapsing in Republic Creek

We dug a pit on a W/WNW slope at around 9100 ft in the republic creek drainage. CT 18 and ECTN34 (ECTX then we hit it extra hard 4 more times) on the weak layer about 70 cm down. But overall snowpack was upright and it seemed to be settling down more than we thought. But then as we approached the ridge we triggered 5 separate large collapses ("Whumphs"), all on WSW/SW slopes (between 8700 and 9200 ft). Pole probes revealed a light crust about 12 inches down. 

Full Snow Observation Report
R. Malmstrom
Lionhead Range
Lionhead Ridge
Large Natural on Lionhead, Airplane Bowl
Snow Obsdrvation includes images
Snow Obs contain video

From IG 12/3: It was natural. Happened last night or this morning. It hadn't slid when we left yesterday. We were first tracks in today, and there were no tracks above or below this slide. Crown at the peak was around 6'. Average 2-3' crown. 10' debris piles at least.

Full Snow Observation Report
Anonymous
Bridger Range
Bridger Bowl
settleing by slush mans

skied over by slush mans lift yesterday.

Got some settling on lower angle above base of lift.

Full Snow Observation Report
Z. Peterson
Cooke City
Republic Mountain
Natural Republic Mountain
Snow Obsdrvation includes images
D. Zinn
Southern Madison
Taylor Fork
Taylor Fork
Snow Obs contain video

We observed no natural avalanches or overt signs of instability, although one group in the parking lot mentioned seeing a small slide south in Sage Basin past the Otter Slide. The foot of new snow was wind affected. Human-triggered avalanches in the new snow and wind slabs were possible. These will stabilize in the next few days unless there is continued loading

We dug in Carrot Basin and on the slope up to the weather station. We did not find the weak layers of surface hoar or near-surface faceting like at Lionhead Ridge. I am not convinced it doesn’t exist anywhere, but it does not appear to be widespread. Test results were ECTN 11-15 under the foot of new snow. 

 

Full Snow Observation Report
R. Malmstrom
Lionhead Range
Lionhead 12/2
Snow Obsdrvation includes images

Lots of avalanche activity. Lots of cracking and propagation from the skis. 

Full Snow Observation Report
Jackson
Northern Gallatin
Goose Creek
Goose Creek
Snow Obsdrvation includes images
GNFAC
Cooke City
COOKE CITY
Recent natural avalanches and snowpits
Snow Obsdrvation includes images
Snow Obs contain video

Near Cooke City (12/2/22) we rode to the cabins at Lulu Pass, then to Round Lake, then to Daisy Pass. Visibility was 50/50, so we didn't see all terrain clearly. We saw multiple large natural avalanches that broke last night or early this morning. The largest were 3 on Scotch Bonnet (R2-D2), 1 on Henderson in the big east facing slide path (R1-D2) and 1 on Old Man Ray's on Republic Mtn (no photo). We also saw 4-5 smaller wind slabs (R1-D1). The larger avalanches we suspect broke on a layer of weak snow that formed last week and is now buried 2-3 feet deep, and deeper on high wind-loaded slopes. In a snowpit on West Henderson we had ECTP23 and ECTP24 about 2 feet deep on a layer of 1mm facets. Below that the snowpack seemed generally strong. Based on the recent natural avalanche activity, this is a weak layer we will have to keep an eye on going forward, and it could produce human-triggered avalanches for at least the next few days.

Full Snow Observation Report