Skiers south of Cooke City saw a recent likely cornice-triggered avalanche on a northeast face. During their tour, they saw a small part of the same cornice fall off and trigger another small avalanche. Photo: B. Daley
Saw small avalanches on almost every wind loaded slope out of fairy lake. The one we spotted in the pomp twins had a defined crown roughly 100ft across.
Today there were strong winds loading snow onto the Northeast face off of Pine Martin Ridge, just North of Ram Pasture. When we got a better view of the slope, we noticed there had been a natural wind-slab avalanche (left), possibly triggered by a cornice fall. While transitioning, we saw a small part of the same cornice break off and trigger a similar wind slab avalanche (right).
The notable avalanche activity in the Taylor Fork was a full-depth wet slab avalanche that broke last week during the warm-up on Lightning Ridge.
We saw one new wind-slab avalanche in Sunlight Basin. It was small. From a distance, it appeared to be about 6" deep and 30' across (R1-D1).
There was a full-depth wet slab avalanche that broke last week during the warm-up on Lightning Ridge. GNFAC
We saw one new wind-slab avalanche in Sunlight Basin. It was small. From a distance, it appeared to be about 6" deep and 30' across (R1-D1). GNFAC
Spring cornices are growing very large above many wind-loaded slopes. GNFAC
We rode into the weather station, across to the Wilderness Boundary, along the ridgeline to the Beaver Slide, and back. We saw one new wind-slab avalanche in Sunlight Basin. It was small. From a distance, it appeared to be about 6" deep and 30' across (R1-D1). The other notable avalanche activity was a full-depth wet slab avalanche that broke last week during the warm-up on Lightning Ridge.
We dug a 150 cm deep pit at the Wilderness Boundary. The basal facets and depth hoar were moist. The upper-level melt-freeze crusts were so thick and hard that even with a saw assist, we could not isolate the column to the ground. There were two newish near-surface facet layers in the upper 10" of the snowpack. No hazard now, but they will be something to watch when loaded.
