GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Tue Jan 25, 2011
The Bridger, Madison and Gallatin Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
Winds were mostly confined to the ridgetops around Cooke City. Even during bluebird days the snowpack can get loaded with more snow. Photo: Jay Pape
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Wed Jan 26, 2011
GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Mon Jan 24, 2011
The Madison Range, the southern Gallatin Range, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
This slide was triggered by a skier on Jan 22. It's a thin, faceted snowpack on the steep rocks and could have been a bone breaking ride. Luckily he was able to get off with only minor injuries. Photo: GNFAC
GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sun Jan 23, 2011
The Madison Range, the southern Gallatin Range, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
From an email, " Photo of a large slab avy on the Fin of Mt.Republic. It's east facing and around 9,500-10000' in elevation. The slab looked to be a couple hundred feet wide with a deep crown (6'++ in places), running maybe 800' vert. Big." Photo: Beau Fredlund
GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Sat Jan 22, 2011
The Bridger, Madison and Gallatin Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
This latest round of snow is one of a string of storms that has impacted our area over the past week. This onslaught of storm cycles has brought abundant snow and wind to Southwest Montana, producing numerous natural and human triggered avalanches from Cooke City to the Bridger Range. Nearly every slide over the past week has been due to a heavy wind load - a factor which has pushed many slopes past their breaking point.
GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Fri Jan 21, 2011
The Bridger, Madison and Gallatin Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Thu Jan 20, 2011
The Bridger, Madison and Gallatin Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:
This week most areas received over an inch of snow water equivalent (over 1ft of snow) except the mountains near Cooke City which received about 2.5 inches of snow water equivalent. In simple terms, more snow = more avalanches, and there are two distinctly different avalanche concerns.
This wind slab was triggered by a skier in the Taylor Fork area of the southern Madison Range. It is located on a south facing slope just off the main trail. "No one was caught but it was a close call." Even small avalanches can be serious when they run through trees that can cause trauma. Photo: B. Goodhard