Snow Observations List

We rode near the Throne today 03/03/2024. From the truck driving up and down canyon, we saw several natural loose snow avalanches that broke beneath ridgelines and one slab avalanche near Bridger Peak. While riding into the Throne we saw a large natural avalanche south of Ross Peak that likely happened early this morning. Many slopes steeper than 30 degrees had numerous natural and a few human-triggered slough avalanches that entrained storm snow from the last 24 hours, some also entraining snow that fell on Friday as well. These avalanches were large enough to bury a rider or skier. 

Near the throne on an east-facing slope at 7300', we dug a snow pit and found 23" of new snow that had fallen since Friday equaling 2.1" of snow water equivalent. 14" inches of this fell late last night (0.75" of SWE). Our stability tests yielded ECTN12 results below the new snow. Recent snow made up a little less than half of our snow pit height (HS 133 with 54 cms of new snow since Friday). 

Wind remained calm today where we rode, but all day we saw snow being transported at the ridgeline above. Storm totals were well distributed and at all aspects and elevations we rode we found roughly 20" of recent snow. 

From IG on 3/3/24. Natural on Wolverine and natural between Miller and Sunset. Looked like they went today or yesterday.

We saw one avalanche on a southeast facing slope. At about 7,400’ on a North facing slope we experienced a valley shaking whumpf while traveling up a heavily used ski track. 

Remotely triggered a large avalanche on a N aspect at 9500 ft while ascending a ridge line [in Mill Creek, Absaroka]. We estimated the slide to be D3 R3. The crown spanned roughly 1400ft +/- and ranged between roughly 1-5ft deep. They appeared to be 2 distinct layers in the crown profile, one of recent ‘storm’ snow and a lower one above old facets. This was observed from a distance. Witnessed large trees being shaken by the slide and smaller ones completely breaking. The bottom of the run out became much more planar indicating the sheer volume of debris that filled in. Extremely powerful to witness such energy and destruction. All persons in the party were in safe terrain with no intention to ski this slope at all. 

Noticed the pictured recent avalanche on an east facing aspect in the alpine of Beehive Basin. I would estimate it at a D2 size slide. It seems to have been naturally triggered by cornice fall and likely stepped down to older faceted snow deeper in the snowpack. 

Toured from the buffalo horn pass trail head to the pass itself. I didn’t go super high only a little over 8600’. I was shocked by the stability the snowpack showed however. I only had 1 collapse all day and that was at the trailhead. I wasn’t getting cracking at my feet. I definitely don’t trust the snowpack but it is the least reactive place I’ve seen yet to a fresh dump. Definitely some recent wind loading up high. I’d say a foot of new snow at the pass itself and 8” at the trailhead. 

Mellow ski/split tour up to ridge from the pass day after the storm. Fresh snow in trees was 4-6”, in meadows fresh snow had moved around & was trace to a foot. Tops of trees had snow blown off, ridge itself was windswept & trees were coated in rime/hoar.

We stuck to terrain <30 degree slope and observed no avvy sign. Fun ski down, especially upper glades, & we were there only tracks out there once we got out of the lower meadows.

We were skiing out of the Cabin Creek cabin over the weekend, mostly in the low angle terrain around Skyline Ridge. Throughout the storm on Saturday and after the clouds cleared on Sunday we experienced consistent whumpfing while breaking trail. Some were larger and some were smaller, usually triggered by the person breaking trail but some of the larger ones were triggered by the second or third skier in the track.

Pictures of an avalanche on Henderson Mountain just south of Lulu Pass taken on 3.3.24 (avalanche ocurred on 3.2.24).

Just wanted to pass along some high-resolution images in case they are helpful for future education.

Thanks for all you do!

-Alyssa Barrett

Toured to the zipper for some 25° meadows and while the skiing was excellent, the stability was not. We triggered numerous thundering whumphs and got shooting cracks, the largest of which propagated at least 100' wide! See snow profile attached with test results.

6" snow since Friday at 6000' in Mill Creek, very strong winds last night. Observed this large avalanche on an east face at treeline, appears to have failed on the weak snow at the base of the snowpack. Additional crowns observed in the bowls and chutes above it (these have been repeat offenders this season). 

Continued signs of instability on a tour in Maid of the Mist Basin. A couple large collapses down low in the trees, wind slabs above tree line on variable aspects due to swirling wind up high. Large avalanche crown (10’ - 12’ in places) at the back of the basin which looked to have been trigger from cornice fall 3-4 days ago. ECTP 28 55cm off of ground on a 5cm thick layer of facets. Pit was dug on an east facing slope at 9,100 feet. 

Secondhand photo and story regarding two snowmobilers sidehilling the northwest aspect of Twin Peaks and triggering the slide in the photos.  They were both able to ride out of it.  This avalanche is located about 150 yards north of the Twin Peaks avalanche accident site from January 2024.

Guides at Beartooth Powder Guides saw numerous natural avalanches near Cooke City. They noted new snow avalanches on most slopes steeper than 30 degrees. Additionally, they saw several avalanches that broke several feet deep on east, southeast, and southwest-facing terrain. 

From IG 3/2: A skier triggered this slide in the Bridgers.

Photo from IG, slide occurred night of 3/1.

From email: "We were 3/4 the way up lulu today on the west side of the creek under the Henderson Bench. It broke1/2 way down off the top ridge and ran all the way to the creek. Debris pile 20+ feet. Location matches super slide of 5-6 years ago, we were accros the drainage sitting on the "match sticks" layed out on the trail thru lulu. Ran into the Av center team about an hour before the incident, and as always thanked them for being the best and keeping us all informed! Nobody caught, remote trigged, but we were luckily across the drainage when it went!"

From email: "New Obs from Bridger side country. Toured Texas Meadows over to the playground. Saw some small point releases in new snow on south and southwest facing aspects. At the top of the playground I dug a small hand pit. I suspect it was in a shallow snow pack area, as I was able to dig to rock before running out of arm to dig. The snow was getting wet the whole way through (could make a snowball even out of the snow at the ground level where I was looking for buried persistent weak layers). On the southern aspect of the playground we saw some roller balls that had been covered by the new snow yesterday and today. The only places we saw evidence of wind on our tour was just past the bridger boundary. "

We rode into Tepee Basin and saw two recent avalanches. One looked like it happened this morning on a treed ridgeline, 1-1.5' deep 150-200' wide. The other looked like it maybe happened yesterday, on a heavily wind-loaded slope below some cornices, 2-2.5' deep and 250-300' wide. We had brief good visibility of the major avalanche terrain in the upper basin and didn't see any other slides. We measured 12" of snow = 1.5" of SWE that fell since Thursday. Snow was drifted near ridgelines and in the highest meadows. There was some cracking in the new snow around sled skis, but it was minimal.

Watched a large avalanche come down the big Avi path on the east side of Henderson.  The avalanche covered many snowmobile tracks from that afternoon.  The crown varied and extended for 1,000 feet below the summit ridge. It was a huge volume of snow that reached Fisher Creek. The snowmobilers were lucky, as it was large enough to be buried deep.