Snow Observations List

We rode to the cabins in Fisher Creek and skied up Wades World. A slide from last week was visible and we dug a few hundred feet above it. A 70 cm wind slab broke on the facets in our stability test and also in the avalanche. We got 2 large collapses as we approached the crown of the slide and another an hour later near Henderson Mtn. On Henderson Bench we could see 2 new avalanches that looked fresh, possibly cornice triggered. It was not windy, so windloading was not the trigger. Regardless, it was disconcerting. Across the Fisher Creek valley we could see a slide on the nose of Sheep Mountain on the same slope that killed a snowmobiler in 2015.

Whumpfs yesterday and today, recent slides, and a poor snow structure is worrisome.

Natural Avalanches on Cedar Mtn. SE bowl. Occurred sometime between the 4pm on 1/28- 9am on 1/29. 

This avalanche released naturally on 1/29/2024. It was seen from the Miller Creek road and looks similar to all the other avalanches in the area.

Numerous collapses in any terrain with a non-wind effected snowpack over 70 cm. Recent warm weather leading to settlement of the upper pack and a much denser slab. 3x natural size 1 natural wet loose off palace butte in steep rocky terrain, which happened before noon. Below 8000 feet the snowpack was moist to the ground in the pm.

Skied and dug in the trees W of Bradley Meadows at 7690’. Ski quality was terrible as the upper 20cm was becoming very heavy and wet, even on this NW aspect, in the trees. It was 48 degrees air temp at 2pm.
Dug two pits, each with slightly different aspects, and got mixed results just 25’ away:

NW: ECTP25 down 55 on 2mm facets, ECTX x 1, HS of 85.

W: ECTP26 down 67 on 2mm facets, ECTX x 2, HS of 97. 

No other signs of instability, and there were quite a few skiers out, none of whom mentioned anything other than the poor ski quality. 

Observed collapsing and shooting cracks near top of meadows around 7700 feet. Dug a pit in this area as well. Snow was 80 cm deep. Our test yielded unstable results - ECTP 11 35cm down on the obvious surgery facets. Slab seemed to be stiffening with warmer temps. 

ECT P 7 at 7800ft and West-Northwest facing slope. Broke approx 6-8in from the top of the snow. A LOT of woofmping pretty much everywhere we went.

Heavy and wet snow from the top of the ridge down to the Bridger Bowl lot. Observed large pinwheels, old avy debris on 30 degree slopes. 2 finger facets 15cm down, depth hoar still intact and showed no signs of rounding. Shooting cracks underfoot while skinning.

We skied onto the debris of the Henderson Mountain avalanche. It went as wide as it could and broke under the dense wind slab on facets (not surface hoar). We dug in the flank at about 10,100' to confirm that it released on facets under a wind slab. Afterward we skied over to Daisy Pass and had numerous large, thunderous whumps, both there and back. At Daisy Pass/Chimney Rock avalanche (from 1/25) we had poor visibility and could not see the debris or paths. I skied out looking for signs, but decided that wandering in runout zones with no visibility was a bad idea, so we returned back to the sleds on Henderson Bench.

30+ whumps on any slope with wind slab deeper than 5”. Happened on slopes from 0-30 degrees stayed off of and away from anything steeper. 

 Slide triggered from above (ridge line) onto east facing slide path on Bridger Ridge. Knocked off microwave-sized cornice while skinning which fell and triggered the slope below. We had zero intention of skiing that slope or any like it on todays tour. Slide seemed to start very slowly and then propagated North (to the left in the pictures) before running down the slide path. Looking at the slope no parties or individuals were present around us or in the run out to the best of our observations. Not surprised by the instability at play and yet another reason to heed to the forecast. 

ETCP 7. Broke on top of the facet layer mid pack. Only change that was noticeable from last week is the warming from the bottom up of the snow pack making nerd candy sized facets on the base of the pack. Domino surface hoar between facet layers not as present. 28degree slope. Fracturing present on roll over below into middle. Pit was dug down the ridge from the cornice release slide east side of prayer flags from last weekend.
 

1/20/2024 ETCP7. Facets were smaller and surface hoar layer domino layer between the bottom 8in facet layer and next 8in facet layer present. Pit dug east side prayer flag up the ridge from cornice release into middle.

Well developed (2-3mm) surface hoar observed at the S shoulder of Bradley Meadows (at the top of the skin track). Some of the crystals had already been blown over, but most were still upright.  

We skied in the Bridger Range where unstable snow was not widespread, but does exist on previously wind-loaded slopes. Weak snow exists on all slopes, and where a wind slab sits over this weak snow you can trigger a dangerous avalanche. Attached pit profile from Hourglass shows a wind loaded slope, and other pit profile is in more sheltered terrain.

Slopes without a slab on top of the weak snowpack are less likely to produce a slab avalanche, but even the slightest bit of a supportable slab could easily break on the weak snowpack. Also, the sugary, weak snowpack is easily entrained by smaller slides causing more powerful loose snow slides on sustained steep terrain.

Wind was moderate at the ridge, but not transporting any snow. Light wind below the ridge. Temps near to above 0 C. Broken to Overcast skies.

Great walk, much better travel than other areas. Started noticing cracking, collapsing, and whumfing around 7800' on east facing slopes. ECTP 11 on our stability test. Much better snow than bacon rind and other similar areas.

Whumping on approach when not is snowmobile tracks. Dug a pit on a north east face slope off the Miller creek road approach to daisy pass at ≈ 9000ft . Shallow snow pack 110cm. Ectp 10 60 cm from ground 26 deg slope. Choose to ski low angle south west facing slope with no terrain above. No recent natural slides were observed. 

Starting at  45°11'13.26"N /  111°27'36.92"W, the NNE slope slid  (likely rider caused 2 days ago).
The adjacent slopes at  45°11'18.09"N / 111°27'54.78"W further west were slightly newer perhaps the 26th or late on the 25th. Each ripped down to the ground at the crown. Severe instability was present even when cresting over the slope from the entrance through the regular access to cedar - still not broke open.

Heard two large whumpfs when heading up the low angle slopes of Telemark Meadows. Dug a quick pit and found it was collapsing 30cm (rough estimate) deep on the second weak layer from the top. Lightly snowing, not much accumulation.

Conduction ECT test. 
Observed two well preserved layer of surface hoar
1st layer- 45 cm below surface. 3cm thick layer of surface hoar.