Trip Planning for Island Park

as of 5:00 am
Today0″ | 10-45 NW
Mar 17 0″ | 3-35 N
Mar 16 0″ | 5-45 N
9885′     03/18 at 22:00
31.2℉
NW - 7mph
Gusts 36 mph
8750′     03/18 at 22:44
85.0″ Depth
0.0″New
7710′     03/18 at 21:00
38℉
73″ Depth
Primary Problem: Persistent Weak Layer
Bottom Line: Large avalanches breaking deep in the snowpack on persistent weak layers and wet, loose snow avalanches are possible in the mountains across the advisory area. Lower-angle avalanche terrain and slopes with clean runouts and without terrain traps are the best options if you choose to play the odds. Follow safe travel practices, including traveling one at a time while a partner remains in position for rescue. Get off any steep terrain before the surface snow gets wet in more than the upper few inches. This process will happen faster in lower elevations so ensure safe egress options.

Past 5 Days

Thu Mar 14

Considerable
Fri Mar 15

Moderate
Sat Mar 16

Moderate
Sun Mar 17

Moderate
Today

Moderate

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 38
  • From obs: "No details, came upon them while riding and making observations of the terrain. One was North-Northeast, the other was North-Northwest facing. Across the drainage from each other. Also, notice three other small avalanches on a west facing slope, about two miles east of the first two. All five were on slopes well over 30. In the centennial mountains, close to the continental on the Idaho/Montana border."

  • From obs: "No details, came upon them while riding and making observations of the terrain. One was North-Northeast, the other was North-Northwest facing. Across the drainage from each other. Also, notice three other small avalanches on a west facing slope, about two miles east of the first two. All five were on slopes well over 30. In the centennial mountains, close to the continental on the Idaho/Montana border."

  • Riders snapped a photo of natural avalanche activity above Blue Creek in the Centennial Mountains. Photo: P Rockwell

  • A small avalanche that was triggered by riders on 02/08/2024. Photo: GNFAC

  • This avalanche was triggered by riders a few days ago. This was a small slope and broke 100' wide and 2-3' deep. Photo: GNFAC 

  • Snowmobilers in Hell Roaring Creek saw a few natural avalanches that happened in the last week. The exact date is unknown.  Photo: B. Schleicher

  • Snowmobilers in Hell Roaring Creek saw a few natural avalanches that happened in the last week. The exact date is unknown.  Photo: B. Schleicher

  • Snowmobilers in Hell Roaring Creek saw a few natural avalanches that happened in the last week. The exact date is unknown.  Photo: B. Schleicher

  • This on one of over 15 avalanches snowmobilers saw today, 01/30/2024. These avalanches likely happened on 01/29 or the morning of 01/30. Photo. N.

  • This on one of over 15 avalanches snowmobilers saw today, 01/30/2024. These avalanches likely happened on 01/29 or the morning of 01/30. Photo. N.

     

  • Do you like to hike? Do you like to ski? Then the King & Queen of the Ridge is for you. Hike, ski and raise money for the Friends of the Avalanche Center in their 2nd biggest fundraiser of the year. Join the effort to promote and support avalanche safety and awareness! Fundraising prizes for top 5 individuals who raise over $500. No racing is necessary to compete for the fundraising prizes. Info to fundraise is HERE or donate here. Race participants for the [insert dates] event must register separately with Bridger Bowl here.

  • A rider triggered this avalanche while side-hilling across the bottom of the slope. The rider was able to quickly turn downhill and avoid the slide. No one was caught. Photo: Anonymous

  • A rider triggered this avalanche while side-hilling across the bottom of the slope. The rider was able to quickly turn downhill and avoid the slide. No one was caught. Photo: Anonymous

  • On Sawtelle Peak, Island Park, when the clouds lifted we could see a crown of a snowmobiler triggered slide that occurred yesterday. It broke on the buried surface hoar and facets about 1.5 feet under the surface. Recent snow and wind-loading has created dangerous avalanche conditions. Photo: GNFAC

  • On Sawtelle Peak, Island Park, when the clouds lifted we could see a crown of a snowmobiler triggered slide that occurred yesterday. It broke on the buried surface hoar and facets about 1.5 feet under the surface. Recent snow and wind-loading has created dangerous avalanche conditions. Photo: GNFAC

  • On Sawtelle Peak, Island Park, when the clouds lifted we could see a crown of a snowmobiler triggered slide that occurred yesterday. It broke on the buried surface hoar and facets about 1.5 feet under the surface. Recent snow and wind-loading has created dangerous avalanche conditions. Photo: GNFAC

  • Snowpit at the Head of Hellroaring Creek on 1/7/24. Note the two stripes of surface hoar in the pit wall.

  • We measured 16" of low-density snow equaling 0.7" of snow water equivalent at higher elevations in the Centennial Mountains of Island Park, ID. The new snow is sitting on a couple of layers of feathery surface hoar and a weak snowpack. It will not take much wind, settlement, or new snow to push the snowpack to the breaking point. Photo: GNFAC

  • New snow in Island Park made for beautiful views and heightened avalanche danger as the new snow fell on a snowpack riddled with weak layers. Photo: GNFAC

  • Doug Chabot walking off Lionhead Ridge to a snowpit site.

  • We snowmobiled up to 9,000' on Sawtelle peak, then skied to dig a couple pits. Our first pit was on an East aspect on a heavily wind loaded slope. The HS was 130cm (or 4.2 feet). There was 8" of new snow equal to 0.85" SWE, sitting over old consolidated snow that made up a slab over soft, weak facets about 50cm off the ground. We had ECTP24 x2 break on the old weak snow.... Photo: GNFAC

  • We snowmobiled up to 9,000' on Sawtelle peak on 12/23/23. The snow depth at 8,800' was 3-4 feet. Photo: GNFAC

  • Riders saw large surface hoar crystals while riding outside of Island Park. Photo. B.Schleicher

     

  • From IG on 12/10: "2 slides we triggered remotely in tepee yesterday"

  • From facebook message: "North facing slope 15 miles south of west Yellowstone probably 30ish degree slope. Probably 16-18 inch slab". Photo: T. Taubman

  • We met up with the Fugawee Snowmobile Club, Idaho Parks and Recreation, and Klim to install new beacon checkers at the trailhead in Island Park. Great work to the team! Photos: GNFAC

  • We met up with the Fugawee Snowmobile Club, Idaho Parks and Recreation, and Klim to install new beacon checkers at the trailhead in Island Park. Great work to the team! Photos: GNFAC

  • We met up with the Fugawee Snowmobile Club, Idaho Parks and Recreation, and Klim to install new beacon checkers at the trailhead in Island Park. Great work to the team! Photos: GNFAC

  • We met up with the Fugawee Snowmobile Club, Idaho Parks and Recreation, and Klim to install new beacon checkers at the trailhead in Island Park. Great work to the team! Photos: GNFAC

  • We met up with the Fugawee Snowmobile Club, Idaho Parks and Recreation, and Klim to install new beacon checkers at the trailhead in Island Park. Great work to the team! Photos: GNFAC

  • Fugawee Snowmobile Club Assembling New Beacon Checkers. Photo: Kent

  • Went to do maintenance on the Sawtelle Snowfall weather station at 8800 ft just off the Sawtelle Mountain Road. Continuous snowcover starts around 8000 ft. At 8800 ft there is ~20" of snow with a mix of hard crusts and weak facets. These weak layers near the ground will be something to watch once snows again. Photo: GNFAC

  • Went to do maintenance on the Sawtelle Snowfall weather station at 8800 ft just off the Sawtelle Mountain Road. Continuous snowcover starts around 8000 ft. At 8800 ft there is ~20" of snow with a mix of hard crusts and weak facets. These weak layers near the ground will be something to watch once snows again. Photo: GNFAC

  • Went to do maintenance on the Sawtelle Snowfall weather station at 8800 ft just off the Sawtelle Mountain Road. Continuous snowcover starts around 8000 ft. At 8800 ft there is ~20" of snow with a mix of hard crusts and weak facets. These weak layers near the ground will be something to watch once snows again. Photo: GNFAC

  • From IG: “Pine creek today, some small wind slabs and a full depth wet slide off black mountain”

  • From IG: “Pine creek today (10/21), some small wind slabs and a full depth wet slide off black mountain”

  • From obs. "Was out alpine climbing today and observed the north face of Blackmore had slid already."

  • Get your tickets and online bid for items HERE!

Videos- Island Park

Snowpit Profiles- Island Park

 

Select a snowpit on the map to view the profile image

Weather Forecast Island Park

Extended Forecast for

10 Miles ESE Lakeview MT

  • Tonight

    Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. Southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm  after midnight.

    Mostly Clear

    Low: 25 °F

  • Tuesday

    Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 41. Light south wind becoming south southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

    Sunny

    High: 41 °F

  • Tuesday
    Night

    Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. South southwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

    Mostly Clear

    Low: 27 °F

  • Wednesday

    Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. South southwest wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

    Mostly Sunny

    High: 41 °F

  • Wednesday
    Night

    Wednesday Night: A chance of rain and snow between midnight and 3am, then a chance of snow after 3am.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. South wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    Mostly Cloudy
    then Chance
    Rain/Snow

    Low: 28 °F

  • Thursday

    Thursday: Snow likely, mainly after noon.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Southwest wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    Snow Likely

    High: 40 °F

  • Thursday
    Night

    Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow before midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. West southwest wind 8 to 18 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.  New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

    Chance Snow
    then Mostly
    Cloudy

    Low: 26 °F

  • Friday

    Friday: A chance of snow, mainly after noon.  Partly sunny, with a high near 38. South wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

    Chance Snow

    High: 38 °F

  • Friday
    Night

    Friday Night: Snow likely, mainly after midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27.

    Snow Likely

    Low: 27 °F

The Last Word

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the Avalanche Research Program at Simon Fraser University and the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research are conducting research to examine how backcountry recreationists, including skiers, mountain snowmobilers, snowshoers and ice climbers, interpret avalanche forecast information. They aim to better understand how useful different kinds of avalanche forecast information are for trip planning. To participate, take the Colorado Avalanche Information Center survey.

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