Weather and Avalanche Log for Wed Feb 5, 2025
90 MPH gust Lone Mountain
STRONG Inversion around Bozeman (-5F at Bridger Base/ 34 F at Ridge)
90 MPH gust Lone Mountain
STRONG Inversion around Bozeman (-5F at Bridger Base/ 34 F at Ridge)
We toured up Lick Creek today. The temp in the parking lot was 17*F, temps warmed as we climbed up out of the valley. At the top of the ridge at roughly 8450’ the temp was 45*F in the shade according to my zip o gauge thermometer on my back pack +/-. The snow was wet and heavy, ski quality was mediocre to poor. The conditions were stable with nothing moving and lots and lots of buried tracks. There was lots of glopping on the skins! It was quite a problem. The ski out was ok in the track but sticky elsewhere making making things somewhat challenging. Back at the parking lot at 3pm it was 15*F. The last 100’ to the car was cold powder.
I have never seen an inversion quite like that!
sorry no pics or video.
Thank you for the work you do!
I hope this is useful and not redundant.
Jon Goodman
On the headwall of the Second Yellow Mule, we saw two recent wind slab avalanches. These were small (R1 D1), immediately below the ridge, and likely broke late last night or this morning.
Plenty of wind slabs ranging in size on Lionhead ridge and on surrounding slopes. Noticed a few natural slides on the way in, a few more on the way out that were rider triggered. Snow was quite wet by this afternoon @8500’.
Avalanches on north Fisher Mountain and north Crown Butte likely occurred sometime between 2/2-2/3. The avalanche on east Henderson occurred between 11:30-12:30 on 2/4.
We toured up Lick Creek today. The temp in the parking lot was 17*f temperatures warmed as we climbed out of the valley. At the top of the ridge at 8450’ it was 45* +/- a little on the little thermometer on my pack. The snow was wet and heavy, ski quality was mediocre to poor. Things were stable with nothing moving. Lots of glopping on the skins! The ski out was ok in the track but sticky elsewhere making things somewhat challenging. Back at the parking lot at 3 pm it was 15*f. The last 100’ to the road was cold powder.
I have never seen an inversion quite like that!
A little wind load cornice break, but it broke while I was coming down that track to the right. Photo: S Strenge
This is the N side of scotch bonnet, looks like a big break, didn’t get any closer than this however. Photo: S Strenge
N face of crown butte, looks like it slid before the dirt event (we think the end of the storm yesterday/ or last night must have been dirty snow?). Photo: S Strenge
Avalanche east aspect of Henderson. This slid sometime between 11:30 - 12:30 on 2/4/24. Photo: BPG