Riders near Fairy Lake reported this slide on Saturday 12/21. Photo: @turbo_dieshall
Northern Gallatin
From IG message: "5' thick wind slab just behind little bear remote triggered riding along the ridge." @skidooin_it
From Instagram: "Couple of small natural wind slabs around 10,200’ NE in Hyalite. Not sure exactly how recent. Played it conservative and chose to stay off a similar slope." B. Gill
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Dec 20, 2019
Shallow wind slab avalanches in Hyalite
1. From an email: The wind sure moved snow around up Hyalite last night, and our party observed several small to medium-sized releases that occured on a heavily-loaded east aspect overnight. None stepped down in the snowpack, but they certainly could have taken a person for a ride. Overalll, stability seemed to be good, with the exception of isolated wind-loaded areas.
2. From IG: Couple of small natural wind slabs around 10,200’ NE in Hyalite. Not sure exactly how recent. Played it conservative and chose to stay off a similar slope.
From an email, "... our party observed several small to medium-sized releases that occured on a heavily-loaded east aspect overnight. None stepped down in the snowpack, but they certainly could have taken a person for a ride. Overalll, stability seemed to be good, with the exception of isolated wind-loaded areas." Photo S. Reinsel
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Tue Dec 17, 2019
Small slide in Hyalite
While on a tour in Hyalite yesterday, we were able to find stable snow on a south aspect at 9500 feet. Although we found no propagation in our ECT, we observed a defined crust layer about 2.5 feet down which was well bonded to snow above. On some steeper pitches near rocks bands, we observed top layer slough that moved naturally. We also observed a small crown from a day or two ago that broke between two buried rocks and only ran about 50 feet down slope.
From e-mail:" While on a tour in Hyalite yesterday [12/15],... On some steeper pitches near rocks bands, we observed top layer slough that moved naturally. We also observed a small crown from a day or two ago that broke between two buried rocks and only ran about 50 feet down slope." Photo: Tommy S