Northern Gallatin

Toured up Ellis. Observed well-preserved surface hoar in meadows and on the ridgeline on NE aspects. MF crust starting to form on SE aspects. Dug at 8230’ on an ESE aspect. HS 120. Found the buried surface hoar layer from a few weeks ago down 25cm. Got collapsing but no propagation on this layer. Beautiful day!

Crown of a wind slab avalanche from the saddle of Blackmore. Photo: Anonymous

I skied forward maybe 5 feet and broke off a wind slab around 20 feet wide and five feet below me. Shifting my weight right after that the snow below me also broke and slid away. Photo: Anonymous

I broke off a wind slab around 20 feet wide and five feet below me. Shifting my weight right after that the snow below me also broke and slid away. Photo: Anonymous

Pretty widespread surface hoar this morning near Hyalite Reservoir. It didn't seem to be as widespread higher up on Mt Blackmore, but we did see some pockets of it up there.

Attempting to ski the Hellmouth The snowpack appeared very stable on most aspects, however when dropping into the northwest face of Alex Lowe peak up and lookers left from the couloir the snowpack was extremely wind scoured. There was maybe 6 inches of  un compacted facets below two inches of wind slab. Slightly farther down slope the snow became deep enough for me to put in several jump turns on ski belay. After coming off belay I skied forward maybe 5 feet and broke off a wind slab around 20 feet wide and five feet below me. Shifting my weight right after that the snow below me also broke and slid away. After that I booted back to the ridge and we safely descended the south east face. 

A wind slab avalanche on east facing slope in hyalite. Photo: D Moeser

From IG Message: Wind slab avalanche on “east facing slope in hyalite”