This smaller natural avalanche illustrates poor bonding in upper layers of the snowpack containing recent snow. While larger avalanches are more spectacular, these smaller ones are more common and can be equally as serious. Watch for them anytime immediately following a storm. Photo: GNFAC
Two events occurred on this slope at Lionhead. Wednesday morning this slope produced a sizeable avalanche that ran well beyond the view of the camera. The avalanche broke in older snow over rock bands but was confined to snow from recent storms on other parts of the slope where the snowpack was deeper and stronger. On Thursday very large cornices broke and tumbled down the slope. Photo: GNFAC
The Bridger, Gallatin and Madison Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range
Doug, Eric, and I investigated several avalanches in the northern Bridger Range yesterday near Sacajawea Peak. There were two issues, both relevant for the rest of the advisory area.
The latest round of storms in the Bridger Range buried a thin layer of factes 1-1.5 feet below the surface. This layer produced widespread avalanches on the Throne and surrounding area in the northern Bridgers. Photo GNFAC
Two large slides north of Naya Nuki Bowl on Sacajawea were prime indicators that recent storms pushed the snowpack past its breaking point. Photo GNFAC
The slide that occurred in Naya Nuki Bowl snapped mature trees and created a debris flow that left snow over 30 feet high on the uphill side of existing trees. Photo GNFAC
