GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Tue Dec 2, 2014
Cooke City
GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Mon Dec 1, 2014
Cooke City
The avalanche warning for the mountains around Cooke City has expired, but dangerous avalanche conditions still exist. Facets near the ground will continue to feel the stress from the most recent storm and still hold to potential to produce large and dangerous avalanches. There is now a dense slab sitting on these facets and it will still be possible to trigger slides remotely (from a distance). At this time I would continue to avoid slopes steep than thirty degrees, especially if they are attached to larger steeper slopes.
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Tue Dec 2, 2014
Above Fairy Lake we had many large collapses as we toured on our skis. The weak layer of facets at the ground are still unstable. In this pit the facets were under a very dense wind slab and broke with ECTP15. Photo: A. Fauver
GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sun Nov 30, 2014
Cooke City
GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sun Nov 30, 2014
This pit was dug on a NE facing slope at 8,000 ft. north of Bridger Bowl. Facets near the ground continue to propagate in stability tests indicating an unstable structure. Photo GNFAC
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sun Nov 30, 2014
Henderson Mountain Avalanche Fatality
Two snowmobilers were riding north of Cooke City, MT along the Daisy Pass Road under Henderson Mountain just past the turn to the Miller Road. One rode through a gap in the trees to a gully that opened to a 37 degree slope above him. His partner remained on the road. He remotely triggered an avalanche and was buried about 5 feet deep, 100 feet from the road. The avalanche danger was rated HIGH on all slopes and an Avalanche Warning had been issued that day.
