Photos

Toured out to Frazier Basin and turned around seeing widespread avalanches and active wind loading. Despite our pits on the Throne the day before showing no weak layers, the amount of wind loading and potential for slabs over density changes gave us pause. Good skiing and sledding down low.

Toured out to Frazier Basin and turned around seeing widespread avalanches and active wind loading. Despite our pits on the Throne the day before showing no weak layers, the amount of wind loading and potential for slabs over density changes gave us pause. Good skiing and sledding down low.

From SnoWest Forums FB Page:

“Just getting word of a LARGE Remote Rider Triggered Slab Avalanche down inside of Black Canyon itself just off the Black Canyon Loop Trail in Island Park.
A 3-4ft thick slab broke loose and filled the bottom of the canyon with 12-15 FEET of debris, completely blocking off the canyon itself. Rider was NOT caught in it!! Had the rider been caught, there would have been ZERO chance of rescue under such a deep slide!”

Cornice broke in between north and south saddle peaks.  The initial propagation width was hard to distinguish.  Maybe 50 feet.  About 18 inches deep at height of crown.  Photo: Anonymous

From obs: "2/17 Immediately noticed signs of wind loading and wind slabs on NE-E aspects once in the basin. New cornices have formed in the last couple days along the North ridge to the summit. Cornice collapse on the summit triggered a small wind slab on an isolated slope." Photo: R. Rintala

From obs: "2/17 Immediately noticed signs of wind loading and wind slabs on NE-E aspects once in the basin. New cornices have formed in the last couple days along the North ridge to the summit. Cornice collapse on the summit triggered a small wind slab on an isolated slope." Photo: R. Rintala

From obs: "3 small storm slabs observed on steep terrain of Bridger Ridge (E aspect observed from wolverine woods) Attached is a photo of the deepest likely ~12in crown. No observed wind slab development below 8100ft. No propagating test results in pits dug Lower ramp, and wolverine woods." Photo: L. Butler

From obs" "Observed a few old avalanches today, maybe from the 2/8 storm. Although well out of the advisory area, helpful for skiers in the Red Lodge Area.

1)  Silver Falls Cr (Lake Fork), 9200', E, HS-N-R4-D1.5-O 45cm thick pencil hardness slab, HS 135. Pulled out into upper 20 degree terrain. 2-3 avalanches here, with one crown ~600' long.

2) Misery Bowl (Main Fork), 9400', ESE, HS-N-R2-D2.5-O A few avalanches here similar to above, with one significantly larger avalanche appearing to have failed on depth hoar where the bowl tips South. 2-4' crown, ran about 600' vertical."

Cracking in the new and wind-drifted snow on the Ridge of Middle Basin. These resulted in a narrow avalanche that ran quite far. 

Skiers saw three natural slides south of the throne today. All east facing. Photo: I Freeland

Skiers saw three natural slides south of the throne today. All east facing. Photo: I Freeland

Skiers saw three natural slides south of the throne today. All east facing. Photo: I Freeland

Skier in Republic Creek observed a natural (wind/storm slab) avalanche on an east aspect at ~9200ft. Photo: R. Minton

Photo: GNFAC

SS-ASc-R1-D.5-I 

310 Degrees  NW

8129ft

Photo: Tagg Cole

Storm slab avalanche between Blackmore and Elephant. Photo: Anonymous

I could visibly see some layer distinction about 8-12” deep. This is the same weakish layer we found in our column test, where we got ect16 just below robs knob. This was on a north facing aspect. Photo: I Tuttle

Buck Ridge, snowmobile triggered avalanche. Propagated in the storm slab. Photo: C Erhard

In Hayden Creek, we saw many D1-D1.5 wind slab avalanches seen on leeward slopes- east and northeast slopes at and above treeline. Photo: N. Mattes (Beartooth Powder Guides)