16-17

To the left of the people are ski tracks in the crown. This is where the skiers entered the slope. The angle was 34 degrees here, but quickly steepened to 40 degrees. Photo: GNFAC

The avalanche broke 3' deep and was 80' wide at the crown and 150' wide mid-path. Photo: GNFAC

The victim of the avalanche on Henderson Bench was buried 4-5 feet deep and wrapped around this tree. He was uncoverd in 15 minutes, but unfortunately did not survive. Photo GNFAC

The crown of the fatal avalanche on Henderson Bench was 80 feet wide at the top of the slope and 150 feet wide at its widest point. It was 3 feet deep with a cassification of SS-AS-R4-D2. Photo GNFAC

This avalanche resulted in a fatality on Henderson Bench outside of Cooke City. The slope had a northeast aspect and was 250 vertical feet. The slide failed on a layer of facets over an ice crust three feet below the surface. The victim was strained through trees and likley died of trauma.

The slope is longer and steeper than it appears in the photograph. Photo GNFAC

A slab avalanche at the Yellowstone Club is indicative of the unstable conditions in the backcountry. This was human triggered on a 34 degree slope. It broke 2' deep, 150' wide and 100' vertical on facets above an crust near the ground. This is the same poor structure we are finding throughout our advisory area. Photo: Yellowstone Club Ski Patrol

This avalanche was triggered by Big Sky ski patrol with explosives during control work on Sunday (12/11). Photo: BSSP