Trip Planning for Southern Madison

as of 5:00 am
Feb 141″ | 15-39 S
Feb 13 0″ | 20-28 SE
Feb 12 0″ | 5-6 E
9460′     02/15 at 1:00
16.7℉
W - 11mph
Gusts 22 mph
9000′     02/15 at 00:00
17℉
65″ Depth
Primary Problem: Wind Slab
Bottom Line: Thin, fresh wind drifts will be easily triggered today. Triggering older, somewhat thicker wind slabs that formed with high winds over the last couple days is also a possibility. Persistent Slab avalanches are still possible, breaking a couple feet deep on weak layers that formed at the end of January. Identifying and avoiding windloaded slopes is the best strategy to reduce your chances of triggering any sort of avalanche today.

Past 5 Days

Mon Feb 10

Considerable
Tue Feb 11

Moderate
Wed Feb 12

Moderate
Thu Feb 13

Moderate
Fri Feb 14

Moderate

Relevant Avalanche Activity

Southern Madison
Sunlight Basin
Small Wind Slab Taylor Fork
Incident details contain video
Sunlight Basin
SS-N-R1-D1
Elevation: 9,150
Aspect: E
Coordinates: 44.9731, -111.3100
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

We saw one wind slab avalanche (R1, D1) in Sunlight Basin. This slide was fresh from this morning or yesterday. 50 feet wide and 6 inches deep. 

 


More Avalanche Details
Southern Madison
Taylor Fork
Persistent Slab Avalanches in Taylor Fork
Incident details include images
Incident details contain video
Taylor Fork
SS-AM-R2-D2-O
Elevation: 9,200
Coordinates: 45.0607, -111.2720
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

We rode into the Taylor Fork, down into the bottom of Sunlight Basin, across Carrot Basin and to the Wilderness Boundary. We saw four persistent slab avalanches that likely broke last weekend or at the beginning of the week. All appeared to be snowmobiler-triggered R1-2, D1.5-2 avalanches at broke of the January layer of near-surface facets and surface hoar. Additionally, we saw one wind slab avalanche (R1, D1) in Sunlight Basin. This slide was fresh from this morning or yesterday. 

We dug a crown profile for the persistent slab avalanche in Sunlight (attached). ECTN24 on the SH layer buried 50 cm (20") deep.


More Avalanche Details
Out of Advisory Area
Two Rider triggered slides in Gravelly Range
Incident details include images
SS-AM-R2-D2
Coordinates: 44.8502, -111.7670
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

From FB message: "Two snowmobiler triggered avalanches in Gravelly Range. Riders did not have beacons or rescue equipment. Riders made it out safe luckily."


More Avalanche Details

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 40
  • Taylor Fork, Feb 13. Photo: GNFAC

  • We rode into the Taylor Fork on Feb 13, down into the bottom of Sunlight Basin, across Carrot Basin and to the Wilderness Boundary. We saw four persistent slab avalanches that likely broke last weekend or at the beginning of the week. All appeared to be snowmobiler-triggered R1-2, D1.5-2 avalanches at broke of the January layer of near-surface facets and surface hoar. Additionally, we saw one wind slab avalanche (R1, D1) in Sunlight Basin. This slide was fresh from this morning or yesterday. Photo: GNFAC

  • We rode into the Taylor Fork on Feb 13, We saw four persistent slab avalanches that likely broke last weekend or at the beginning of the week. All appeared to be snowmobiler-triggered R1-2, D1.5-2 avalanches at broke of the January layer of near-surface facets and surface hoar. Photo: GNFAC

  • We rode into the Taylor Fork on Feb 13, We saw four persistent slab avalanches that likely broke last weekend or at the beginning of the week. All appeared to be snowmobiler-triggered R1-2, D1.5-2 avalanches at broke of the January layer of near-surface facets and surface hoar. Photo: GNFAC

  • Buried layers of surface hoar often show up a stripe in a snowpit wall (other things such a thin melt-freeze crust can look similar but feel much differently). A snowmobiler-triggered avalanche in Sunlight Basin broke on this weak layer of feathery surface hoar. Photo: GNFAC

  • Relatively small persistent slab avalanche in Carrot Basin in the Taylor Fork. Photo: GNFAC

  • We rode into the Taylor Fork on Feb 13, We saw four persistent slab avalanches that likely broke last weekend or at the beginning of the week. All appeared to be snowmobiler-triggered R1-2, D1.5-2 avalanches at broke of the January layer of near-surface facets and surface hoar. Photo: GNFAC

  • Persistent slab avalanche on a wind loaded slope in Sage Basin in the Taylor Fork area. Photo: GNFAC

  • Alex Marienthal walks up the bed surface of an avalanche to investigate the snowpack structure. Photo: GNFAC

  • Shooting cracks in a drift in the Taylor Fork. Photo: GNFAC

  • From FB message: "Two snowmobiler triggered avalanches in Southern Madison. Riders did not have beacons or rescue equipment. Riders made it out safe luckily."

  • From FB message: "Two snowmobiler triggered avalanches in Gravelly Range. Riders did not have beacons or rescue equipment. Riders made it out safe luckily."

  • Alex documenting the stratigraphy on a W aspect at 8850' near the Wilderness Boundary

     

     

     

  • On a north aspect at 9200 ft, there were 1mm facets chained together almost 10mm long.

     

     

     

     

  • A layer of nsf's and surface hoar was failing ~10 inches deep producing easy ECTP's

     

     

     

  • A layer of nsf's and surface hoar was failing ~10 inches deep and causing shooting cracks

     

     

     

  • A layer of nsf's and surface hoar was failing ~10 inches deep and causing shooting cracks

     

     

     

  • A layer of nsf's and surface hoar was failing ~10 inches deep and causing shooting cracks

     

     

     

  • Buried SH below the 2/1 storm. 1-2cm thick layer buried approximately 20cm deep below F precip particles. Photo: M Zia 

     

  • From email: "Today I drove down Taylor fork road, with the thought of potentially getting up on woodward mtn, until I saw a crown on the NE
    Face of its northern summit, basically wall to wall near the top of  the slide path. There were a couple other sled tracks that also went to the end of the road, so I figured maybe it was pretty recent, as I didn’t hear about it in the advisory. Concerning because it appears to have propagated maybe 250ft across,  while maybe only 1-2 ft deep". Photo taken on 1/30/25. Photo: T. Grande

  • From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

    Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

  • From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

  • From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

    Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

  • From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked…"

    Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

  • From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked...”

    Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

  • Natural avalanche spotted from the air on Red Mountain, just west of Ernest Miller Ridge

  • USFS Snow rangers commuting to and from West Yellowstone noticed a human-triggered avalanche across the Gallatin River from Bacon Rind. Photo: K. Marvinney

  • USFS Snow rangers commuting to and from West Yellowstone noticed a human-triggered avalanche across the Gallatin River from Bacon Rind. Photo: K. Marvinney

  • We saw a large avalanche (SS-R3-D2-O) that broke on a north facing aspect, around 2' deep, on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC

  • We saw a large avalanche (SS-R3-D2-O) that broke on a north facing aspect, around 2' deep, on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC

     

  • We did note two small avalanches along the Carrot Basin headwall from sometime in the last two days that broke on weak snow near the ground. These areas looked to have a shallower snowpack. Photo: GNFAC

     

  • We did note two small avalanches along the Carrot Basin headwall from sometime in the last two days that broke on weak snow near the ground. These areas looked to have a shallower snowpack. Photo: GNFAC

     

     

  • We did note two small avalanches along the Carrot Basin headwall from sometime in the last two days that broke on weak snow near the ground. These areas looked to have a shallower snowpack. Photo: GNFAC

  • Pit 2

    44.95982, -111.09903

    100cm snow depth

    ECTP17. Failed on faceted layer 30cm above the ground. 

    sugary fist snow 20-30cm above the ground; somewhat consolidated 4F storm slab 30-60cm; powder fist snow 60-95cm

    Photo: R Cocco

  • Toured up northwest of the bacon rind trailhead to the ridge. Did two pits, both with similar failures on the buried weak layer during ECT.

    Pit 1

    44.96190, -111.08941

    95cm snow depth ECTN21. Failed on faceted snow that existed 23-35cm above the ground.

    Photo:R Cocco

  • Second photo of an avalanche likely triggered by a snowplow flinging snow onto the shoulder along 191 inside YNP. Not a dangerous avalanche but an indicator of dangerous conditions higher up in the mountains where the snow is deeper

     

  • Avalanche likely triggered by a snowplow flinging snow onto the shoulder along 191 inside YNP. Not a dangerous avalanche, but an indicator of dangerous conditions higher up in the mountains where the snow is deeper

     

  • Cut bank avalanche 3 Jan 25 along the Teepee Creek snowmobile trail 

     

  • A snowmobile triggered a small persistent slab avalanche in the Taylor Fork on Tuesday. The rider was not caught. Photo: O. El-Zaru

WebCams


Raynolds Pass, Looking N

Snowpit Profiles- Southern Madison

 

Select a snowpit on the map to view the profile image

Weather Forecast Southern Madison

Extended Forecast for

20 Miles S Big Sky MT

Winter Weather Advisory February 15, 12:57am until February 15, 10:00amClick here for hazard details and duration Winter Weather Advisory
  •   Winter Weather Advisory February 15, 12:57am until February 15, 10:00am

    NOW until 10:00am Sat

    Winter Weather Advisory

  • Overnight

    Low: 8 °F

    Snow

  • Saturday

    Saturday: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 8am.  Partly sunny, with a steady temperature around 11. Wind chill values as low as -10. Northwest wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.  New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

    High: 11 °F

    Chance Snow
    then Partly
    Sunny

  • Saturday Night

    Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of snow after 11pm.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -5. South southwest wind 10 to 14 mph.  New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

    Low: 8 °F

    Chance Snow

  • Sunday

    Sunday: Snow.  High near 17. Wind chill values as low as -5. South southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

    High: 17 °F

    Snow

  • Sunday Night

    Sunday Night: Snow.  Low around 16. South southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

    Low: 16 °F

    Snow

  • Washington's Birthday

    Washington's Birthday: Snow.  High near 22. West wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

    High: 22 °F

    Snow

  • Monday Night

    Monday Night: Snow, mainly before 11pm.  Low around 9. West wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

    Low: 9 °F

    Snow then
    Chance Snow

  • Tuesday

    Tuesday: Snow likely.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 16. West wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

    High: 16 °F

    Snow Likely

The Last Word

02 / 13 / 25  <<  
 
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