Lionhead Area

Snow started falling last night with up to 6” new as of this morning. Snowfall will continue through this evening. Human-triggered avalanches breaking up to a foot deep on wind-loaded slopes are possible today. Wind-sheltered terrain is safer. Avoid heavily wind-loaded slopes, watch for signs of instability, and take a step back from steep slopes that have the added danger of terrain traps. If today’s snowfall exceeds forecasted amounts, the danger will rise.

Your (im)patience paid off, and it is snowing again throughout the forecast area. Strong winds from the south through the west are transporting falling snow, loading slopes, and increasing the avalanche danger. Today is about stepping back and recalibrating. Avalanches, shooting cracks, and collapsing are the bull’s-eye data that conditions are unstable. In areas with more new snow, expect avalanches to break up to 2 feet deep, potentially deeper in the Cooke City area as heavy snow continues to fall today. When thinking about the consequences of getting caught in an avalanche, especially a smaller one, consider a tragic accident that resulted in a fatality in 2022 when a slope avalanched 4-11” deep and buried a snowmobiler against a bank of trees (details).

Avalanches breaking within the new and wind-drifted snow as storm slab and wind-slab avalanches are the primary problems. Today’s new snow is falling on a wide variety of surfaces, including soft, dry snow on upper elevation and north-facing slopes, to thick ice crusts on lower-elevation and south-facing slopes. Regardless of the apparent snow surface, there is also a thick layer of sugary, weak snow that formed during the January/ February drought (Taylor Fork, Beehive video, Island Park video, Saddle Peak video). New snow will bond poorly and stabilize slowly due to this weak interface.

Up to 10” of new snow has fallen as of 6 AM, with more expected in the Cooke City and Island Park areas and the Southern Madison, Southern Gallatin, and Bridger Ranges. The danger is CONSIDERABLE, and human-triggered avalanches breaking 1-2 feet deep are likely. Avoid wind-loaded slopes where avalanches will break the deepest, opting for wind-sheltered terrain after carefully evaluating the snowpack for signs of instability. Avoiding slopes steeper than 30 degrees is a safe answer in the face of uncertainty.

With up to 6” so far in the Lionhead area and the Northern Madison and Northern Gallatin Ranges, the danger is MODERATE. You could trigger an avalanche today, but they will be generally less than a foot deep. If your travel plan involves slopes steeper than 30 degrees, be cautious in wind-loaded terrain and evaluate for signs of instability and the consequences of getting swept off your feet by a smaller avalanche.

Conditions are evolving as I write this morning. If you find more snow than expected, the danger will be correspondingly higher.

KING AND QUEEN OF THE RIDGE: 

Unbelievable! We are so lucky to be a part of this community. Huge thank you to BRIDGER BOWL for organizing and hosting this amazing community event. Thank you to all the hikers who showed up for King and Queen of the Ridge yesterday! The event was a success, raising $24,039 for the Friends of GNFAC.

The top fund-raisers were Ron June, Dash Rodman, Matt Pellman, Bryce Johnson, and Tripp Lewton.

The top team fundraisers were Science Saves Lives, Cooke City Exxon, Pink Super Senders, BSF Skimo, and Thunder Thighs (Fundraiser Results).

The top hikers were Natalie McCormick with 21 hikes and Ezra Merrill-Triplett with 30 hikes (Event Results).