Northern Gallatin

Warming snowpack @ lick creek

Date
Activity
Skiing

Surface boar forming in sunny spots at lower elevations

Pin wheels coming down on south facing road cuts

Backside skiing was already getting heavy just after 10, reasonably heavily trafficked since last storm, someone ski cut just below cornice with no movement.

Front side has a supportable sun crust under the last 4" storm

Region
Northern Gallatin
Location (from list)
Lick Creek
Observer Name
Bill Schell

At 1:30pm on 11/23 I intentionally triggered a fresh drift of snow in a narrow avalanche path along the edge of the north bowl at Bridger. Northeast aspect at 7,600’ elevation. The crown was 6-8” deep consisting of snow that fell today, 20’ wide and ran 250’ vertical. SS-ASc-R2-D1.5-I. Photo: GNFAC

Bridger Range, 2022-11-23

At 1:30pm on 11/23 I intentionally triggered a fresh drift of snow in a narrow avalanche path along the edge of the north bowl at Bridger. Northeast aspect at 7,600’ elevation. The crown was 6-8” deep consisting of snow that fell today, 20’ wide and ran 250’ vertical. SS-ASc-R2-D1.5-I. Photo: GNFAC

Bridger Range, 2022-11-23

Big Sky ski patrol triggered these slides with explosives on 11/22 during routine avalanche mitigation work. The avalanches were hard slabs that averaged 12" deep and broke on a weak layer above a crust on top of snow that fell in October. Photo: BSSP

Northern Madison, 2022-11-23

During our trek up to Narcolepsy and the Champagne climbs, we observed a large amount of surface hoar atop the snow. There were large (1/4-1/2”) flat crystals growing from the snow sitting on a small icy faceted layer. It seemed to be widespread and was found throughout most of the canyon. We figured this may cause instability during the next snow accumulation

Northern Gallatin, 2022-11-20

Surface Hoar, Stable Powdery Snow in Flanders

Date
Activity
Ice Climbing

During our trek up to Narcolepsy and the Champagne climbs, we observed a large amount of surface hoar atop the snow. There were large (1/4-1/2”) flat crystals growing from the snow sitting on a small icy faceted layer. It seemed to be widespread and was found throughout most of the canyon. We figured this may cause instability during the next snow accumulation.

En route to Narcolepsy, we encountered waist deep powder and very unconsolidated snow. Even higher up near the climb we did not find any evidence of wind slabs or consolidated snow. We did witness a small loose snow avalanche on a sun exposed slope with an obvious fan caused from the moving snow.

Region
Northern Gallatin
Location (from list)
Flanders Creek
Observer Name
Brad Burns

Surface Hoar, Flanders

Date
Activity
Ice Climbing

During our trek up to Narcolepsy and the Champagne climbs, we observed a large amount of surface hoar atop the snow. There were large (1/4-1/2”) flat crystals growing from the snow sitting on a small icy faceted layer. It seemed to be widespread and was found throughout most of the canyon. We figured this may cause instability during the next snow accumulation.

Region
Northern Gallatin
Location (from list)
Flanders Creek
Observer Name
Bradford Burns

Surface Hoar, Flanders

Date
Activity
Ice Climbing

During our trek up to Narcolepsy and the Champagne climbs, we observed a large amount of surface hoar atop the snow. There were large (1/4-1/2”) flat crystals growing from the snow sitting on a small icy faceted layer. It seemed to be widespread and was found throughout most of the canyon. We figured this may cause instability during the next snow accumulation

Region
Northern Gallatin
Location (from list)
Flanders Creek
Observer Name
Bradford Burns

Large Natural Avalanche on Hyalite Peak

Hyalite Peak
Northern Gallatin
Code
HS-N-R2-D2-G
Elevation
10298
Aspect
N
Latitude
45.38100
Longitude
-110.96100
Notes

Toured into divide basin on Friday. Looking at the north face of hyalite peak we saw a slide that went to the ground, and was about 150 feet wide. It possible this slide propagated further, but severe wind loading was actively occurring and it was hard to tell if the crown had been filled back in. We dug a pit at 9300 feet on a SÉ aspect and found a 80-100 cm HS and right side up snow pack with minor faceting below a crust 30 cm from the bottom. 

Number of slides
1
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Hard slab avalanche
Trigger
Natural trigger
R size
2
D size
2
Bed Surface
G - Ground
Problem Type
Wind-Drifted Snow
Vertical Fall
500ft
Slab Width
200.00ft
Slab Thickness units
centimeters
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Single Avalanche
Advisory Year