Photos

From obs on 1/23/21: "I observed a couple older (1-2 week) naturals on E/ESE aspects in the Divide basin, and newer (1-3 days) naturals [shown in photo] on the NE side of Divide and an east aspect at the head of the Maid of the Mist basin." Photo: S. Reinsel

We saw this natural avalanche on 1/23/21. It likely occurred in the past week. SE aspect at 9,200', Photo: GNFAC

These 4 avalanches were likely naturally triggered about a 5-7 days ago, before the last snowfall. Photo: GNFAC

The 2 weak layers are a thin layer of buried surface hoar and a thick layer of sugary depth hoar. The snowpack is weak and will become quickly unstable with more snow. Photo: GNFAC

The gale-force winds last Wednesday stripped many slopes in the Buck Ridge area. The snowpack in this region remains thin. Photo: GNFAC

This avalanche likely occurred with wind-loading last weekend (5-7 days ago). Photo: GNFAC

A snowmobiler triggered this avalanche on a wind-loaded slope in Tepee Basin on Tuesday, 1/19. No one was caught. Photo: Anon

A snowmobiler triggered this avalanche on a wind-loaded slope in Tepee Basin on Tuesday, 1/19. No one was caught. Photo: Anon

A snowmobiler triggered this avalanche on a wind-loaded slope in Tepee Basin on Tuesday, 1/19. No one was caught. Photo: Anon

Snowmobile triggered avalanche on a north-facing slope in Second Yellowmule. Likely occurred on 1/17 or 18. Photo: A. Wheeler

Small, skier triggered avalanche near Goose Lake. Photo: B. Fredlund

Small, loose snow avalanches on the east face of Mt Blackmore. Photo: B. Richards

Small slab avalanche and wind-loading on the north face of Mt Blackmore. Photo: B. Richards

Winds actively drifting the new snow into unstable slabs. Photo: GNFAC

We triggered shooting cracks on a small, south-facing slope near Astral Lake, north of Cooke City. The cracks went down to a layer of surface hoar and facets on a crust. Photo: GNFAC

From obs: "While skinning up the south shoulder of Scotch Bonnet [on 1/15/21], about half way (~10,000 ft.) shooting cracks occurred on convexities and were accompanied by whumpfing. While traversing a slope a crack shot perpendicular to the slope at a convexity about 60 ft. up and the whole slope collapsed. After this we immediately turned around taking the most conservative path. These conditions were not present lower down the slope and a snow pit showed no propagation with only a Q3 fracture on the recent layer of surface hoar..." Photo: M. Dvorsak

From email: "Extremely touchy snowpack in the pebble creek drainage [on 1/16/21]. Nearly constant collapsing and cracks were shooting very long distances. Snowpack was definitely sending a clear message!" Photo: J. Zimmerer

Look for a distinct stripe in the wall of your snowpit 0.5-1.5' beneath the snow surface to identify a buried layer of weak surface hoar. Photo: GNFAC

A skier near Cooke City intentionally triggered this small slab that broke on surface hoar on 1/16/21, SE aspect. Photo: J. Baker