24-25

Thin and Weak Snowpack

Date
Activity
Skiing

We toured into Specimen Creek today and rode on E-SE and W aspects. Though more snow exists in this location than is typical, the snowpack here is still shallow and weak.

Our snow profile on a W aspect at 8100' showed us some of the weakest snow structure we had seen this season. Sugary, large-grained facets and depth hoar spilled out of the pit wall at the ground. In this location, a 6" slab sits atop this weak snow, but was not cohesive enough to get unstable test results (HS: 90, ECTX). 

Outside of very weak structure, no other signs of instability like cracking, collapsing or recent avalanches were spotted. 

While the state of the snowpack now provides better coverage and riding than usual, expect to see a jump in avalanche danger on these shallow, weak slopes when/if they receive another good round of snowfall. 

Region
Southern Gallatin
Location (from list)
Specimen Creek
Observer Name
Haylee Darby

Wind Slab Avalanches, Storm Castle Creek

Storm Castle
Northern Gallatin
Code
SS-R1-D1
Latitude
45.42340
Longitude
-111.12500
Notes

Sledded up storm castle. Spent the majority of the day skinning and skiing NE to NW aspects. Found debris from multiple R1-D1 wind slabs from earlier this week. Found widespread but inconsistent wind slabs (2"- 6" thick) at elevations 6700' to 8400'. Throughout the day cracking and collapsing was noticed multiple times on areas of stiffer snow. Snow quality changed dramatically from powder turns to thick wind crust with no visual surface difference.

Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Soft slab avalanche
R size
1
D size
1
Problem Type
Wind-Drifted Snow
Snow Observation Source
Touchy Wind Slabs
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Multiple Avalanches
Advisory Year
24-25

Wind Effected Snow North of Cooke

Date
Activity
Skiing

4-6’’ wind slabs cracking on test slopes on W aspects at upper elevations today

Region
Cooke City
Location (from list)
Henderson Mountain
Observer Name
Beartooth Powder Guides

Small wind slab avalanches in south cottonwood

Other place
Northern Gallatin
Code
SS-AS-R1-D1
Latitude
45.65530
Longitude
-110.55800
Notes

Toured up around Blackmore and s cottonwood. Found an extremely reactive windslab in the afternoon. It was thin, but easily triggered and would propagate about the width of each terrain feature (20-50ft). Each slab ran the length of the slope (150-200 ft). 

Number of slides
1
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Soft slab avalanche
Trigger
Skier
R size
1
D size
1
Problem Type
Wind-Drifted Snow
Slab Thickness
4.0 inches
Vertical Fall
200ft
Slab Width
50.00ft
Images
Wind slab in south cottonwood 2
Wind slab in south cottonwood
Snow Observation Source
Wind slab in south cottonwood
Slab Thickness units
inches
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Single Avalanche
Advisory Year
24-25
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