Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–2
Avalanche forecast
View on mapBridger Range
Gallatin NF Avalanche Center
Avalanche danger
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.
Highlights
Wind Slab avalanches are the primary concern and avalanches are unlikely on non-windloaded slopes. Steer around drifts or carefully assess how well they’re bonded to the old snow before getting onto steep slopes.
Avalanche problems
Avalanche Discussion
Across much of the advisory area the color on the map turned yellow today, reflecting that the avalanche danger has dropped to MODERATE, but don’t let your guard down - conditions remain serious.
Winds picked up yesterday in many areas, drifting the snow that fell earlier in the week. Wind Slab avalanches could break today in fresh drifts and the drifts will also put more load on the persistent weak layers that are widespread.
In the Island Park and Lionhead areas, human triggered avalanches remain likely and the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE. These are the areas that received the most snowfall this week. 1.5-2 ft of snow (1.5-2.8” Snow Water Equivalent) was a big load on widespread weak layers. There’s been a number of Persistent Slab avalanches triggered this week (Lionhead video, Island Park video, Lionhead observation) and an observation of “near constant collapsing” on Thursday indicates that the snowpack remains unstable. For today, continue to avoid riding on or directly beneath slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
The Madison and Gallatin Ranges and Cooke City area saw a bit less snowfall this week and as we get further from that last snowfall, the likelihood of triggering a Persistent Slab avalanche has come down a little bit on many slopes. But the weak layers that got buried by this storm are the sort that don’t stabilize quickly and slopes that were freshly wind loaded yesterday will be more easily triggered today. A remotely triggered slide on Ernest Miller Ridge yesterday and a fresh slide in the Lone Mountain backcountry are clear indicators that it remains possible to trigger avalanches. Avoid freshly wind drifted slopes today and look for cracking, collapsing, or unstable snowpack test results as signs that the snowpack is ready to avalanche and you should avoid all steep slopes in an area.
In the Bridger Range, Wind Slab avalanches are the primary concern and avalanches are unlikely on slopes that are not wind loaded. Steer clear of drifts or carefully assess how well they’re bonded to the old snow before getting onto steep slopes.