Avalanche on the south side of Cabin Creek filled the creek and up the opposite bank
This is the slope that avalanched and killed a snow bike rider (motorized) on 2/19/22. Photo is from the Search and Rescue team who were leaving the site as it was getting dark, and did not have time to gather more info. Click link below for more details. Photo: B. Zavora
Photo: B. Fredlund
Photo: B. Fredlund
On February 19, 2022, three snowmobilers and two snow bikers were in Sheep Creek on the south face of Miller Mountain north of Cooke City. The two snow bikers were high on the slope when one stopped on a small ridge while the other climbed higher and triggered a large avalanche. The avalanche carried him down through a gully and over a cliff where he was partially buried near the toe of the debris. His arm and airbag were visible and his head was 1 foot under the surface. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. The avalanche was 800 feet wide, averaged 2 feet deep (estimated) and ran 1200 vertical feet. The avalanche likely broke on facets and depth hoar at the bottom of the snowpack in an area that was thinly covered and recently wind-loaded. The debris was up to 15 feet deep. The avalanche is classified SS-AMu-R3-D3-O.
GNFAC,
I was up at Bacon Rind today, nothing to notable to note but the skiing was noticeably upside down. The snow below the 3-4 inches of new snow is faceted with enough depth to notice while skiing, which does not seem typical of a NSF/Surface Hoar layer to me. Also the snow down low, where it’s thinner, is overall less supportable and more faceted than at the start of the season, you hate to see it go that way!
Bring on the snow!
Spencer
