Northern Gallatin

Continued signs of instability on a tour in Maid of the Mist Basin. A couple large collapses down low in the trees, wind slabs above tree line on variable aspects due to swirling wind up high. Large avalanche crown (10’ - 12’ in places) at the back of the basin which looked to have been trigger from cornice fall 3-4 days ago. ECTP 28 55cm off of ground on a 5cm thick layer of facets. Pit was dug on an east facing slope at 9,100 feet. 

White touring in the History Rock area, I spotted a couple of recent slides on the NW shoulder of Mt. Blackmore. From a distance, these look like dry-loose slides on the recent snow interface around 8,500ft. on a N-NE aspect.

Otherwise, 12-20cm of new snow was present in the area (~ HS 80-115cm), with evidence of wind loading on east aspects, and scouring on west aspects. No other signs of instability were observed.

From obs: "Shot from the top of Flanders, ~1400 this afternoon, 3/3/2024. Big slide(s) on Arden and in Maid of the Mist. Looks like the skin track and ski track between the two slides got taken out. At first glance from across the way it looked like the skin track was crossing over the debris, but when zoomed in it looks like the debris overran the skin track and the ski track." Photo: M. Zia

From obs: "Shot from the top of Flanders, ~1400 this afternoon, 3/3/2024. Big slide(s) on Arden and in Maid of the Mist. Looks like the skin track and ski track between the two slides got taken out. At first glance from across the way it looked like the skin track was crossing over the debris, but when zoomed in it looks like the debris overran the skin track and the ski track." Photo: M. Zia

Shot from the top of Flanders, ~1400 this afternoon, 3/3/2024. Big slide(s) on Arden and in Maid of the Mist.

Looks like the skin track and ski track between the two slides got taken out. At first glance from across the way it looked like the skin track was crossing over the debris, but when zoomed in it looks like the debris overran the skin track and the ski track.

Skiers experienced widespread cracking and collapsing while touring in Hyalite. The largest of which shot 100' out in front of them. Photo: S. Lowe

Toured to the zipper for some 25° meadows and while the skiing was excellent, the stability was not. We triggered numerous thundering whumphs and got shooting cracks, the largest of which propagated at least 100' wide! See snow profile attached with test results.