Photo: GNFAC
While riding in Lionhead on 04/06/2024 we saw several small wet loose avalanches that likely happened between 04/03-04/04.
From obs on 04/05/2024: "Toured into Beehive Basin on 04/05/2024. Light freeze overnight ~0.5" crust with wet snow below on most slopes. Treed areas did not freeze. Clouds along with a cold south wind kept many slopes from softening. By 11:30 sunny slopes below 9000' had become wet and made for poor ski conditions. Attached are photos of recent loose wet avalanches that likely happened 24-48 hours ago. All attached photos on SW-W aspects at ~9800'"
Observed on 04/05/2024: "Photo of recent loose wet avalanches that likely happened 24-48 hours ago on SW-W aspect at ~9800'" Photo: Z. Peterson
Observed on 04/05/2024: "Photo of recent loose wet avalanches that likely happened 24-48 hours ago on SW-W aspect at ~9800'" Photo: Z. Peterson
Toured into Beehive Basin on 04/05/2024. Light freeze overnight ~0.5" crust with wet snow below on most slopes. Treed areas did not freeze. Clouds along with a cold south wind kept many slopes from softening. By 11:30 sunny slopes below 9000' had become wet and made for poor ski conditions. Attached are photos of recent loose wet avalanches that likely happened 24-48 hours ago. All attached photos on SW-W aspects at ~9800'
Today, we rode from the Buttermilk trailhead to Ski Hill then up to Lionhead Ridge.
At the top of Ski Hill, there was a 2" thick supportable crust below 2" of new snow from the last 24 hours. We dug here on a NE-facing slope at 8000', almost the entire snowpack was moist/wet. We had ECTX results in our stability tests. Just to the north of our pit location we saw a small wet loose avalanche that likely happened earlier this week. Along Lionhead Ridge 2-4" of new snow was beginning to form small drifts that were unreactive on test slopes. On the north side of the ridge, we saw areas where portions of cornice had fallen over the last week of warm temperatures. Snow continued on and off through the day with little to no accumulation. West wind remained light throughout the day with moderate gusts.
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There is a good bit of uncertainty today in the avalanche conditions you might encounter, with a mixed bag of wet and dry avalanches possible.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In most places, wet snow concerns will be minimal because yesterday’s snow surface will either have a hard, thick, refrozen crust, or the snowpack stayed dry through the warmup (on high elevation shady slopes). But, it hasn’t been that cold for that long, so there will still be plenty of places with wet snow in the middle of the snowpack. If the crust is thin, or it gets loaded rapidly by new snow today, you might be able to trigger avalanches in the wet snow beneath. Be wary if you break through a surface crust into wet snow below.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>I expect the little bit of new snow to be generally well bonded to the old snow surface and in many spots the new snow isn’t deep enough to cause a consequential slide. Be on the lookout for places where one or both of those things isn’t true. Pay close attention to how deep drifts are and how well they are bonded. Shooting cracks are a clear sign you’ve found an unstable drift. Stay alert as there is the potential for some short bursts of high intensity snowfall today that could change conditions rapidly. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>New snow also increases the chances of triggering a slide on buried weak layers, particularly those in the upper 1-2 ft of the snowpack</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>(</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/SIglDcDu-MU?feature=share"><span><span><span… video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/24/fin-cooke-city"><span><span><span… photo</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Take a few minutes to dig down and test these weak layers before committing to a steep slope. The weak snow at the ground is hard to test and triggering an avalanche down there is unlikely, but still a possibility that should not be entirely forgotten.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger is MODERATE today.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Hyalite Road Closure: Hyalite road is closed to ALL MOTORIZED VEHICLES until the morning of May 16. This is a regular annual road closure to reduce road damage during the spring thaw. Bicycle and foot traffic are allowed. Contact the Bozeman FS Ranger District for more info.
