GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Thu Apr 3, 2025
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Bridger Range received the most snow totaling about 20 inches, and yesterday the Bridger Bowl Ski Patrol was still able to trigger some soft slab avalanches 12-16 inches deep in pockets, but generally the new snow had begun stabilizing.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Winds have been minimal, but places near the ridge under cornices that received some drifting will still be the most likely places to trigger a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>soft wind slab</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. The odds of triggering a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>storm slab avalanche</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> on a slope without any drifting have gone down a lot, but there will still be </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>decent sluffing</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> in the steepest terrain. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>I’d feel comfortable getting into steep terrain today, but I’d avoid spots where winds previously drifted snow, and I’d choose slopes with a runout free of rocks or trees in case I triggered a small pocket of storm snow. Today the avalanche danger is MODERATE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Avalanche conditions are generally safe with minimal wind limiting wind slab formation, and cool temperatures and clouds today preventing wet snow problems. Ian and Dave found stable snow yesterday </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34822"><span><span><span><span><span><… Buck Ridge just south of Big Sky</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Two avalanches yesterday</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> are great examples of what to look for today. A group </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34824"><span><span><span><span><span><… Beehive Basin just north of Big Sky</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> found stable snow in steep terrain except for one pocket in a couloir where winds had stiffened the new snow. They triggered but were not caught in a soft slab avalanche about 6 inches deep and 60 feet wide. Another group </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34826"><span><span><span><span><span><… Cooke City</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> triggered a soft wind slab 6-10 inches deep and 40 feet wide.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Be on the lookout for isolated places where winds have drifted snow and where you could trigger a soft wind slab. Be especially cautious in terrain where simply falling could be dangerous. A tragic accident </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/15/04/15"><span><span><span><span>… years ago in April on Beehive Peak</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> is worth reading about and learning from. Today the avalanche danger is LOW. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Skier Triggered Wind Slab - Ice Cream Scoop
Ice Cream Scoop on Skiers Left Side in Gully, North Aspect, 9280'
SS-ASu-R1-D1-S
One of the few spots on the gully where there are no trees as a wind block on the skiers left (south) side. Noticed a few cornices on south side of gully where it is exposed to W/SW/S winds. Skier took a left turn under cornices to scrub speed and released a 6-10" windslab 40' wide which ran 10' at most. Super soft and easy to ski through.
Beehive/Bear Obs
Skied around Beehive Basin today; there was lots of new snow and very little wind effect. Skied into the top of Bear Basin from Beehive by going up going home and down the east side, right-side-up powder skiing. While descending Island Boy into the South Fork of Spanish Creek, we had similar 60-100 cm of right-side-up new snow on a heavily textured melt-freeze layer of old snow. Felt the snow density stiffen up from light low density snow around 300 meters down the ski line so cut to the left into a safe zone, the slope at the my skis broke about 15-20 meters wide and 15 cm deep at the flanks to 40cm deep in the gut, SS-ASu-R1-D1.5-I-M(L)-TK. About 30 meters downhill, the slab rode up onto the new snow and ran out of momentum before reaching the runout. Right where the slope broke, we had wind wrapping around the north ridge cross-loading the couloir (skiers left to right), downslope, and on skiers' right of the line, there was no evidence of wind transport. Skied the rest of the line and looped back into Beehive with no other excitement.
Skier took a left turn under cornices to scrub speed and released a 6-10" windslab 40' wide which ran 10' at most. Super soft and easy to ski through. Photo: J Lee
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Thu Apr 3, 2025
Skier Triggered Wind Slab - Ice Cream Scoop
Ice Cream Scoop on Skiers Left Side in Gully, North Aspect, 9280'
SS-ASu-R1-D1-S
One of the few spots on the gully where there are no trees as a wind block on the skiers left (south) side. Noticed a few cornices on south side of gully where it is exposed to W/SW/S winds. Skier took a left turn under cornices to scrub speed and released a 6-10" windslab 40' wide which ran 10' at most. Super soft and easy to ski through.
The slope at the my skis broke about 15-20 meters wide and 15 cm deep at the flanks to 40cm deep in the gut, SS-ASu-R1-D1.5-I-M(L)-TK. About 30 meters downhill, the slab rode up onto the new snow and ran out of momentum before reaching the runout. Photo: J Negri
Beehive/Bear Obs
Skied around Beehive Basin today; there was lots of new snow and very little wind effect. Skied into the top of Bear Basin from Beehive by going up going home and down the east side, right-side-up powder skiing. While descending Island Boy into the South Fork of Spanish Creek, we had similar 60-100 cm of right-side-up new snow on a heavily textured melt-freeze layer of old snow. Felt the snow density stiffen up from light low density snow around 300 meters down the ski line so cut to the left into a safe zone, the slope at the my skis broke about 15-20 meters wide and 15 cm deep at the flanks to 40cm deep in the gut, SS-ASu-R1-D1.5-I-M(L)-TK. About 30 meters downhill, the slab rode up onto the new snow and ran out of momentum before reaching the runout. Right where the slope broke, we had wind wrapping around the north ridge cross-loading the couloir (skiers left to right), downslope, and on skiers' right of the line, there was no evidence of wind transport. Skied the rest of the line and looped back into Beehive with no other excitement.
Stabilizing Quickly
We rode Buck Ridge through First Yellowmule, Buck Creek, Second Yellowmule and into McAtee Basin. Pulses of snow through the day dropped an inch or two by the time we left. Light winds, no avalanches, and no signs of instability to report. The measured storm total above the melt-freeze crust was 11" (1.3" of SWE) at the top of 1st Yellowmule. The snow was well bonded to the underlying surface. Quick pits testing the snow above the melt-freeze crust yielded no indicators of instability.
The riding was quite nice other than the lowest section of the Doe Creek Road is melted out. It was fine on the way in, but very muddy on the way out.
Triggering an avalanche is unlikely UNLESS:
- The wind picks up to speeds capable of transporting snow.
- The temperatures increase or slopes get hit by the warm spring sun.
- There is another significant pulse of snowfall.