Photos

"Dug a quick pit at 8000', NE aspect, ~30deg slope

Total Height of snow: 80cm

The snowpack is generally in quite good shape for this time of year. Right side up and wet snow at the ground! No primary layer of concern where I dug and the new snow seems to be bonding well. Because of this I did not perform any stability tests." Photo: A. Newman

Big Sky Ski Patrol triggered a deep slide in the Big Couloir during avalanche mitigation work on 11/28/24: "Summit north peeled the cornice way back to the ridge and took out the upper hanging snowfield before crashing into the Couloir, leaving a 5-6’ tall crown in the chute above the dogleg." Photo: BSSP

We noticed several natural loose snow avalanches (R1 D1) in steep rocky sections of the direct E face of Mt Blackmore. Though they were not large enough to bury someone, they would have strained a skier or rider through some nasty trees and cliffs. Photo: GNFAC

WE facing snow at 8100 ft Cabin Ck

Radiation Recrystallization happening

Cabin Creek snow cover

SE facing snow Cabin Creek

N facing snow Cabin Creek, 9000 ft

Big Sky Ski Patrol triggered this avalanche during mitigation work in The Wave on 11/26/24... "2-3' deep on an ice crust just above the ground with a 2# shot in the Upper rodeo. Volume was limited as most of the snow was loaded just underneath the cornice, but still produced a sizeable size 2... Other paths in the Lenin region ran meaty wind slabs, full track with no significant step downs." Photo: BSSP

Driving up Bridger Canyon this morning, we noted several natural avalanches in wind loaded terrain on Saddle Peak, the Football Field, and in Mundy’s Bowl. All The avalanches seems to be a similar wind slab problem. They broke just below the cornice line. Photo: GNFAC

Cracking on old, faceted, October snow hundreds of feet long. North facing near treeline. Photo: BSSP

Intentional, human-triggered avalanche by a ski patrol breaking at the ground on a north facing slope near treeline. Photo: BSSP

From obs: "I dug a quick pit just off from the ridge and noted an HS of 55cm with an 3cm decomposing crust about 29cm up from the ground. Snowpack ranged from fist hardness down to 1 finger at the base. And though the grains at the ground had some edges and corners, I did not note truly faceted snow at the base."

Photo: H. Darby 

Wind was ripping on the ridge and creating hard wind slabs 3-6” in depth. Photo: C. Avis 

Snowpack on Ski Hill at Lionhead. Photo: GNFAC

Sawtelle snowpack. Photo: GNFAC

Photo: A.A.

Photo: A.A.

Photo: A.A.

View looking south towards the Pyramid. Photo: J. Negri