Northern Gallatin

My group and I decided on Blackmore and left the trailhead around 0930. We saw a few folks on the way out to Blackmore and a couple heading back after an early morning. The weather was really nice the whole way out, unseasonably warm and not very windy at all. The warm weather is a little disappointing overall, but it made for a pleasant skin out to the base of Blackmore. The lookers right shoulder of the mountain was very tracked up and there were scatter tracks throughout the rest of the east face. We went up to 9400' near one of the lower cliff bands to dig a pit and do some stability tests. We ended up digging on a bulls eye east aspect in 110cm of snow. There were a surprising amount of layers in the snow with a soft layer of about 5-10cm of the most recent snow on top of a hard wind packed slab. Under that slab was a layer of softer rounds followed quickly by the 25-45cm of facets separated by some thin crusts. We got a CT12 and ECTP17 Q2 both breaking at the basal facet layers about 35cm from the ground. We opted for the tracked up shoulder, not the best skiing but a good day out with friends. 

Variable conditions observed in upper McAtee Basin yesterday afternoon (1/16). Sastrugi, sun cupping, punch crust, edgeable ice, dry powder, and wet snow all present.  

Cheers - Ryan

We dug a very quick pit at the base of the bowl on the Maid of the Mist side of Arden Peak, and noticed slabs, the first of which was about 6 in down, and the second an additional foot down. Below the second slab was some worrying sugary snow that was sliding the slabs around as we were digging. We did not perform full column or propagation tests, but did decide to turn around early.

Skied up in the Maid of the Mist basin today. Dug a pit on a 24 deg, NNW facing slope just lookers right of the bottom of the Fat Maid. HS 135cm, had a CT10 RP @ 112cm followed by ECTN9 on the same layer. Facets at the ground were 4F+ and quite cohesive. Skied the Fat Maid, didn't see any signs of instability all day.

A view of Sacajewea Peak from the Fairy Lake road. Evidence of winds are seen on the right shoulder of the peak. Photo: GNFAC

Slopes on Hardscabble Peak in the northern Bridger Range show bare slopes that got blown clean by wind. Photo: GNFAC

In the northern Bridger Range we dug a pit at 8700 feet on a north facing slope before skiing the chute into the basin. Our stability tests did not break and all evidence pointed to a LOW danger. Photo: GNFAC

Settlement rings around the base of trees near Cooke City, January 15, 2022. Photo: B. Fredlund