24-25

Natural avalanches on Saddle Peak

Date

These avalanches were reported yesterday 12/15 by ski patrol who heard them run and saw debris around 1230. They broke naturally towards the end of a period of heavy snowfall that totaled 10"=1.22" SWE. Photos taken 12/16 at 1045-1100.

Region
Bridger Range
Location (from list)
Saddle Peak
Observer Name
Alex Marienthal

Recent Avalanche, Active Loading in Cooke City

Date
Activity
Snowmobiling

Today, we rode up to the base of Henderson and toured up to the bench to check out the crown of an avalanche that occurred yesterday. The avalanche was remotely triggered by a skier from 50' away. It was about 100' wide, ran 50' vertical, and the max depth of the crown was 2.5'. It fractured on the interface between the new storm snow and faceted grains. This was a heavily wind loaded area with an HS of 179cm. Strong westerly gusts and heavy snowfall had nearly refilled the crown by the time we left. 

We then traveled further up the bench to a north facing aspect and dug again. Here we got an unstable test result, ECTP 13, on a layer of buried surface hoar. Faceted snow exists at the base of the snowpack but our main concern on non-wind loaded slopes is layers of surface hoar and near-surface facets buried about 50cm deep. It was snowing and blowing throughout the day, and with continued loading, we expect to see collapsing, cracking and signs of instability tomorrow. 

Region
Cooke City
Location (from list)
Henderson Bench
Observer Name
H. Darby

North of Cooke City

Date
Activity
Skiing

Went out north of Cooke City today for some skiing. Dug a pit at 9980' on a southwest facing, windloaded slope with a slope angle of about 15 degrees. We found 105cm of snow. Our ECT gave us an ECTP29 55cm up from the ground on what seemed to be the buried surface hoar layer. It was snowing and blowing all day out there. 

Region
Cooke City
Location (from list)
Henderson Mountain
Observer Name
Noah Mattes

Skier caught and buried at Bridger

Date

On December 15th, 2024, at 12:09 p.m., a skier in open terrain was caught and buried by an avalanche in the Papa Bear region below Bridger Gully. The skier was buried just below the snow surface and was able to punch a hole up through the top of the snow. The skier's partner and other members of the skiing public were able to extricate the uninjured skier quickly. This as a good reminder to ski and ride with a partner, even in the ski area, in deep snow conditions.

Notes from forecaster discussion with patrol:

Slide was 8 inches deep, 450 feet wide, and broke within the storm snow 2 inches above the new snow/old snow interface. Exact trigger unknown.

The Alpine weather station received 2.5" snow = 0.2" SWE from 2200 on 12/14 to 0300 on 12/15, then intense snowfall from 0700 to 1200 added 7" and 1"SWE for a storm total of 9.5"=1.2"SWE over 14 hours as of noon.

 

Region
Bridger Range
Location (from list)
Bridger Bowl
Observer Name
Alex Marienthal

Bacon Rind

Date
Activity
Skiing

Skied Bacon Rind meadows today. Didn't look at the Skillet.

S1-S2 all day, L-M winds from the south

HS of 45cm at the road and 65cm at the ridgeline. It is more or less entirely faceted and unsupportable. Ski pen of 40cm and boot pen to the ground.

Skiing was good but hazardous. Lots of audible rock strikes, and getting through the trees back to the road was challenging.

Not recommended yet.

 

 

Region
Southern Madison
Location (from list)
Bacon Rind
Observer Name
Mike Lavery

Debris on southern approach to Texas Meadows

Date
Activity
Skiing

Came across small debris pile while setting a skin track up to Texas Meadows from Bradley Meadow/Wolverine area. No other signs of instability. Texas Meadows showed facets down low and wind slab above. 

Region
Bridger Range
Location (from list)
Texas Meadow
Observer Name
Chris Bunting