While ski touring in Frazier Basin we saw at least 12 recent loose wet avalanches on east and south aspects. Most of them started near exposed rocks and entrained the upper 6" of wet snow. Photo: GNFAC
Loose wet avalanches on the east face of the October Bowl from 04/02/2024. Photo: GNFAC
From obs: "It likely happened sometime between 10:30 and 1:30 today. It doesn’t look super deep, but it’s hard to say for sure. I’d guess around 2 feet deep."
A snowboarder saw this natural avalanche on the Fin from Cooke City. He estimated it happened between 10:30-1:30 and broke 2' deep. Photo: N. Mattes
This is the absarokee range. 20 miles south of Livingston. Northwest facing at 8000’. Slides like this always remind me to check my local aspects. This type of of slide is one of my biggest fears.
observed from an aircraft.
Today we rode from the Fairy Lake parking lot to the motorized boundary above Frazier Basin. We skied both north and south-facing slopes.
Small puddles in the parking lot had a thin layer of ice and the snowpack had a 2-3" surface crust above moist/wet snow. While riding in we saw several wet loose avalanches from yesterday on south and east-facing slopes. From the saddle, we skied dry snow on a north-facing slope to the lake below. At 10:00 AM we saw the first wet loose avalanche of the day. We saw a dozen more over the next hour. By 11:30 the upper 6" of the snowpack had become wet and no longer supportable on foot. We exited the basin up a northerly slope that had been shaded for most of the day. Riding out we saw several fresh wet loose avalanches between Pomp and Hardscrabble Peaks. The only other activity we saw was a small skier-triggered slough avalanche in steep northeast-facing terrain.
Clouds increased by the afternoon and remained there for most of our ride out. Temperatures increased noticeably with any break in the clouds from the strong spring sun.
Toured out into Lower Hayden today to look around. Lots of wet loose avalanches on all aspects by noon. And by the time I came back down the hill, the Fin had slid. It likely happened sometime between 10:30 and 1:30 today. It doesn’t look super deep, but it’s hard to say for sure. I’d guess around 2 feet deep.
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Yesterday was warm in the mountains and we had wet avalanches. Today will be even warmer. Temperatures are forecasted to hit the upper 50s F in the Bridger Range and upper 40s F around Island Park, West Yellowstone and Cooke City. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><u><span><span>All ranges will see wet avalanche activity today.</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The mountains around Bozeman and Big Sky did not freeze last night. High elevations (10,000 feet or more), north facing slopes and cold drainages are the exception, which Dave talks about in his </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/WJWxsKW0flc"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…; from the Bridger Range yesterday. Without a freeze, today’s blazing April sun will wet and melt the surface snow very quickly. Wet avalanches will slide on a crust 1-2 feet under the surface. By late morning sunny slopes will be wet, gloppy, and ripe to slide. Stay out of avalanche terrain and be especially cognizant of those below you because wet avalanches can run far. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Cornices at the ridgelines will also be melting and sagging and breaking in the heat. These behemoths are great triggers (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/24/large-cornices-along-lionhead-rid…;). </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Wet avalanches sliding down the hill or cornices breaking may trigger deep and big slides. A thin layer of weak, faceted snow is buried near this upper ice crust and can avalanche. Dave found this in Island Park on Monday (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/LPB5N_bAPco"><span><span><span><strong><span…;) and yesterday, Ian and I saw a small slide that broke on this layer in Lionhead (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/SIglDcDu-MU?feature=share"><span><span><span…;). Even deeper are facets near the ground. Although buried under multiple feet of snow, wet avalanches or water percolating through the snowpack or cornice falls, are all possible triggers. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Without an overnight freeze, plus clear skies, only light wind and temperatures forecasted to be exceptionally warm, the mountains around Bozeman and Big Sky will see the avalanche danger rise from MODERATE to a wet snow danger of HIGH.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In the mountains around Island Park, West Yellowstone and Cooke City, breezy conditions and freezing temperatures overnight will delay wet avalanche activity. The avalanche danger will start as MODERATE and rise to a wet snow danger of CONSIDERABLE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Hyalite Road Closure: Hyalite road is closed to ALL MOTORIZED VEHICLES until the morning of May 16. This is a regular annual road closure to reduce road damage during the spring thaw. Bicycle and foot traffic are allowed. Contact the Bozeman FS Ranger District for more info.
At 4am: Bridger 36F, Shower 29F, Big Sky 31-36F; below freezing in south
