From email: “These pics are from last June 10-11, after the pass reopened on Friday. I was skiing the Gardner headwall at 5:30, solo, when this monster released. Yah. The initial cornice collapse triggered and entrained a secondary slab of varying thickness whose crown is seen in one of the photos.”
Trip Planning for Lionhead Range
Past 5 Days

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Relevant Photos
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From obs 5/7/23: "Natural R3-4, D4 ripped out a large chunk of the south face of Wilson during the last warm period I would assume. Debris everywhere and one large boat-sized pile even scoured a path further down than the rest of the debris. Looked to be a mix of wet loose and wet slab release from high up. Alpha angle at the bottom of the debris was 25 degrees" Photo: C. Ellingson
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Give Big Gallatin Valley is May 4-5. The Friends of the Avalanche Center are participating again this year and thank you for your support. Between 6pm on May 4 through 6pm on May 5 you can support your favorite local non-profits. Donate Here.
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From obs. 4/7/23: "I went through the area of Three Rivers Peak yesterday, and there had been a pretty nice cycle of large slides recently. One on the east face of Three Rivers broke 6-800’ wide 2-10’+ deep, and ran full track. It only had a couple inches of snow on it, so I think it ran sometime during the recent warm days. Some of the walls along the slide were over 20’ high, and I imagine the debris pile might make it through the summer. I also observed a couple older slides on E\NE aspects that were older, but not a whole lot smaller." Photo: S. Reinsel
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From obs. 4/7/23: "I went through the area of Three Rivers Peak yesterday, and there had been a pretty nice cycle of large slides recently. One on the east face of Three Rivers broke 6-800’ wide 2-10’+ deep, and ran full track. It only had a couple inches of snow on it, so I think it ran sometime during the recent warm days. Some of the walls along the slide were over 20’ high, and I imagine the debris pile might make it through the summer. I also observed a couple older slides on E\NE aspects that were older, but not a whole lot smaller." Photo: S. Reinsel
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From obs. 4/7/23: "I went through the area of Three Rivers Peak yesterday, and there had been a pretty nice cycle of large slides recently. One on the east face of Three Rivers broke 6-800’ wide 2-10’+ deep, and ran full track. It only had a couple inches of snow on it, so I think it ran sometime during the recent warm days. Some of the walls along the slide were over 20’ high, and I imagine the debris pile might make it through the summer. I also observed a couple older slides on E\NE aspects that were older, but not a whole lot smaller." Photo: S. Reinsel
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There was a large natural avalanche that broke yesterday on Bald Peak it was bounded laterally by the terrain, so it only broke a couple of hundred feet across, but it appeared to be 4-6' deep and ran the full available vertical into the creek below. This avalanche was the key piece of information for the day and answered the question of whether or not the snowpack is continuing to produce deep slab avalanches with every storm, it is. Photo: GNFAC
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There was a large natural avalanche that broke yesterday on Bald Peak it was bounded laterally by the terrain, so it only broke a few hundred feet across, but it appeared to be 4-6' deep and ran the full available vertical into the creek below. This avalanche was the key piece of information for the day and answered the question of whether or not the snowpack is continuing to produce deep slab avalanches with every storm, it is. Photo: GNFAC
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There was a large natural avalanche that broke yesterday on Bald Peak it was bounded laterally by the terrain, so it only broke a couple of hundred feet across, but it appeared to be 4-6' deep and ran the full available vertical into the creek below. This avalanche was the key piece of information for the day and answered the question of whether or not the snowpack is continuing to produce deep slab avalanches with every storm, it is. Photo: GNFAC
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We saw three more avalanches that broke at least a few feet deep and several storm slab avalanches that failed within the new and wind-drifted snow. Photo: GNFAC
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We saw three more avalanches that broke at least a few feet deep and several storm slab avalanches that failed within the new and wind-drifted snow. Photo: GNFAC
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Bowl after the climb up Denny Creek. The runout area is the first big downhill on the trail that follows the bottom of the ridge. Best guess is 24-48 hours old. Extremely deep runout. 3/23/23 Photo: B. Ramage
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We dug in 1 crown and measured 11" of SWE above the weak layer (1mm facets) that avalanched. Every weak layer has a breaking point, and this layer needed about 11 feet of snowfall to get it to avalanche.
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Riders observed many natural avalanches at Lionhead. Photo: A Steckmest
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Riders observed many natural avalanches at Lionhead. Photo: A Steckmest
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Riders observed many natural avalanches at Lionhead. Photo: A Steckmest
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Riders observed many natural avalanches at Lionhead. Photo: A Steckmest
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Riders observed many natural avalanches at Lionhead. Photo: A Steckmest
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Riders observed many natural avalanches at Lionhead. Photo: A Steckmest
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Riders observed many natural avalanches at Lionhead. Photo: A Steckmest
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From IG message: "3 different slides lionhead area. One was very big the run out was 20 feet tall and quarter mile long" Photo: T. Urell
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From IG message: "3 different slides lionhead area. One was very big the run out was 20 feet tall and quarter mile long" Photo: T. Urell
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We saw 6 natural avalanches on our ride in Lionhead. They all involved snow in the last week or two. On our exit we ran into who a group that witnessed a sledder triggering this slope. It was about 3 feet deep and was clearly wind loaded. Luckily he was not caught. When folks are triggering slides we know other slopes are also unstable. Be careful out there!
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We saw 6 natural avalanches on our ride in Lionhead. They all involved snow in the last week or two. On our exit we ran into who a group that witnessed a sledder triggering this slope. It was about 3 feet deep and was clearly wind loaded. Luckily he was not caught. When folks are triggering slides we know other slopes are also unstable. Be careful out there!
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We saw 6 natural avalanches on our ride in Lionhead. They all involved snow in the last week or two. On our exit we ran into who a group that witnessed a sledder triggering this slope. It was about 3 feet deep and was clearly wind loaded. Luckily he was not caught. When folks are triggering slides we know other slopes are also unstable. Be careful out there!
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We saw 6 natural avalanches on our ride in Lionhead. They all involved snow in the last week or two. On our exit we ran into who a group that witnessed a sledder triggering this slope. It was about 3 feet deep and was clearly wind loaded. Luckily he was not caught. When folks are triggering slides we know other slopes are also unstable. Be careful out there!
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We saw 6 natural avalanches on our ride in Lionhead. They all involved snow in the last week or two. On our exit we ran into who a group that witnessed a sledder triggering this slope. It was about 3 feet deep and was clearly wind loaded. Luckily he was not caught. When folks are triggering slides we know other slopes are also unstable. Be careful out there!
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On Buck Ridge today (3/5/23) we found fresh, unstable drifts. This fresh slab was 4-6" deep. Cracking like this is a sign that wind slabs will avalanche on steeper slopes. Photo: GNFAC
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Skier triggered deep slab avalanche on NE face of Hyalite Peak 3/4/23.
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A rider observed recent avalanches on wind-loaded slopes near Lionhead on 2/25/23. Photo: K. Allred
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"Seemed to be a decent sized slide runoff was pretty deep where it stopped in the trees figured it was probably two days old. Southwest facing. Roughly 44.86695° N, 111.24123° W"
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Dave Zinn measures snow water equivalent to see how much weight was added to the snowpack from the recent storm in Island Park. Photo: GNFAC
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We rode down a narrow gully to get into the head of Yale Creek in Island Park. We descended one at a time, just in case our assessment was wrong. There was older debris in the gully. Photo: GNFAC
Videos- Lionhead Range
Weather Stations- Lionhead Range
Weather Forecast Lionhead Range
Extended Forecast for10 Miles WNW West Yellowstone MT
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This
AfternoonHeavy Rain
High: 63 °F
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Tonight
Heavy Rain
then Partly
CloudyLow: 45 °F
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Thursday
Heavy Rain
High: 56 °F
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Thursday
NightHeavy Rain
then Partly
CloudyLow: 42 °F
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Friday
Slight Chance
Showers then
Showers
LikelyHigh: 59 °F
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Friday
NightChance
T-storms then
Partly CloudyLow: 41 °F
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Saturday
Mostly Sunny
then Showers
LikelyHigh: 59 °F
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Saturday
NightChance
Showers then
Mostly CloudyLow: 43 °F
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Sunday
Showers
LikelyHigh: 60 °F
The Last Word
Thank you to everyone that sent in observations, read the advisories, took an avalanche class or donated money, time or gear. Our success is directly related to community support and the Forest Service. Have a safe spring and summer!