Trip Planning for Southern Madison

as of 5:00 am
Apr 300″ | NA
Apr 29 0″ | NA
Apr 28 3″ | NA
9460′     04/06 at 12:00
22.5℉
NE - 1mph
Gusts 106 mph
9000′     06/08 at 01:00
43℉
10″ Depth
Bottom Line: Spring weather can be highly variable and create a mix of avalanche problems to watch out for. Snow conditions and snow stability can change drastically from day to day or hour to hour. Anticipate rapid change and plan accordingly. Plenty of snowfall over the winter with more spring snow to come makes avalanches possible into summer.

Past 5 Days

Mon Apr 17

None
Thu Apr 20

None
Mon Apr 24

None
Fri Apr 28

None
Tue May 2

None

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 40
  • From email: “These pics are from last June 10-11, after the pass reopened on Friday. I was skiing the Gardner headwall at 5:30, solo, when this monster released. Yah. The initial cornice collapse triggered and entrained a secondary slab of varying thickness whose crown is seen in one of the photos.”

  • From obs 5/7/23: "Natural R3-4, D4 ripped out a large chunk of the south face of Wilson during the last warm period I would assume. Debris everywhere and one large boat-sized pile even scoured a path further down than the rest of the debris. Looked to be a mix of wet loose and wet slab release from high up. Alpha angle at the bottom of the debris was 25 degrees" Photo: C. Ellingson

  • Give Big Gallatin Valley is May 4-5. The Friends of the Avalanche Center are participating again this year and thank you for your support. Between 6pm on May 4 through 6pm on May 5 you can support your favorite local non-profits. Donate Here.

  • Riders observed a natural, dry slab avalanche that occurred last week on a northerly aspect near the Sphinx. 

    Approx coordinates of slide #1: 45.15872, -111.46923

    Photo: L. Welles

  • Riders observed a natural, dry slab avalanche that occurred last week on a northerly aspect near the Sphinx. 

    Approx coordinates of slide #1: 45.15872, -111.46923

    Photo: L. Welles

  • Riders observed a small, full-depth wet snow avalanche on a southerly aspect near Pioneer Mountain. Photo: L. Welles

  • From Big Sky Ski Patrol: "Temps remained a little cooler than yesterday and generally topped out in the mid 40’s F. That didn’t stop the free water from moving
    and continuing to destabilize the snowpack, primarily on solar aspects below 10,000’. Near full depth to full depth wet loose avalanches continued to naturally release in what was left of the A-Z’s as well as LRT which had not seen any activity yesterday." Photo: BSSP

  • This big wet slide buried the highway near Quake lake on 4/8/23. Photo: Z. Montano

  • This big wet slide buried the highway near Quake lake on 4/8/23. Photo: Z. Montano

  • From obs. 4/7/23: "I went through the area of Three Rivers Peak yesterday, and there had been a pretty nice cycle of large slides recently. One on the east face of Three Rivers broke 6-800’ wide 2-10’+ deep, and ran full track. It only had a couple inches of snow on it, so I think it ran sometime during the recent warm days. Some of the walls along the slide were over 20’ high, and I imagine the debris pile might make it through the summer. I also observed a couple older slides on E\NE aspects that were older, but not a whole lot smaller." Photo: S. Reinsel

  • From obs. 4/7/23: "I went through the area of Three Rivers Peak yesterday, and there had been a pretty nice cycle of large slides recently. One on the east face of Three Rivers broke 6-800’ wide 2-10’+ deep, and ran full track. It only had a couple inches of snow on it, so I think it ran sometime during the recent warm days. Some of the walls along the slide were over 20’ high, and I imagine the debris pile might make it through the summer. I also observed a couple older slides on E\NE aspects that were older, but not a whole lot smaller." Photo: S. Reinsel

  • From obs. 4/7/23: "I went through the area of Three Rivers Peak yesterday, and there had been a pretty nice cycle of large slides recently. One on the east face of Three Rivers broke 6-800’ wide 2-10’+ deep, and ran full track. It only had a couple inches of snow on it, so I think it ran sometime during the recent warm days. Some of the walls along the slide were over 20’ high, and I imagine the debris pile might make it through the summer. I also observed a couple older slides on E\NE aspects that were older, but not a whole lot smaller." Photo: S. Reinsel

  • Overall seemed like a deep HS (220 cm) versus other years I’ve seen here. High strength in pit (ECTP26), failure on facets below melt-freeze crust down 60 cm, and with no more obvious signs of instability. Felt weak snow deeper, but only dug in the top meter. North winds increasing throughout the day and any wind affected snow was shallow in depth. South aspects were crusted but protected N-facing or tree skiing was still great.

  • From obs 3/26/23: "Saw a couple small natural slides breaking in the new snow. The one on the small slope beside the road actually appeared to have broken when a snow bike crossed the top just off the side of the road." Photo: J. Weingarten

  • From obs 3/26/23: "Saw a couple small natural slides breaking in the new snow.... occurred in the afternoon sometime" Photo: J. Weingarten

  • Photo: R. Lindsey

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sage Basin. Photo: GNFAC

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was at the head of Sage Creek. Here, Alex is investigating the layering within the snowpack that lead to the avalanche. Photo: GNFAC

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sage Basin. Photo: GNFAC

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sunlight Basin. Photo: GNFAC

  • On our ride up the Taylor Fork, we saw several natural avalanches that appeared to have broken about a week ago. This avalanche was in Sunlight Basin. Photo: GNFAC

  • We saw a natural avalanche near Bacon Rind into the Gallatin River. Photo: GNFAC

  • Skiers noted a 1-2’ deep slide on the west-facing road cut just north of the Bacon Rind pullout. Photo: S Reinsel

  • Skiers noted an avalanche on Red Mountain that spanned about 2000’. They estimated it was 1-3’ deep in the newer snow, for the most part, but a portion of it broke 15’+ deep and ran at the ground. Photo: S Reinsel

  • Skiers noted an avalanche on Red Mountain that spanned about 2000’. They estimated it was 1-3’ deep in the newer snow, for the most part, but a portion of it broke 15’+ deep and ran at the ground. Photo: S Reinsel

  • Via IG: “Large natural avalanche on the east side of redstreak peak down near West Yellowstone. 

    And then another natural one right on the shoulder of white peak on the boundary.” Photo: S. Mooney

     

  • Via IG: “Large natural avalanche on the east side of redstreak peak down near West Yellowstone. 

    And then another natural one right on the shoulder of white peak on the boundary.” Photo: S. Mooney

     

  • From IG message: "3 different slides lionhead area. One was very big the run out was 20 feet tall and quarter mile long" Photo: T. Urell

  • Across the road from Bacon Rind at 7,070' on a west facing slope I saw a small skier triggered slide that ran into the Gallatin River. 

  • On Buck Ridge today (3/5/23) we found fresh, unstable drifts. This fresh slab was 4-6" deep. Cracking like this is a sign that wind slabs will avalanche on steeper slopes. Photo: GNFAC

  • Skier triggered avalanche on Elephant Mtn. 3/4/23. SS-ASu-R2-D1.5-I

    Vertical Fall: ~700' Distance Traveled: ~1000' Aspect: 15 N Elevation of start zone: 9645'

  • Skier triggered deep slab avalanche on NE face of Hyalite Peak 3/4/23.

  • A cornice collapsed on Monday, triggering an avalanche on the slope below. Dave Zinn assesses the layers in the flank. Photo: GNFAC

  • A cornice collapsed on Monday triggering an avalanche on the slope below. Photo: GNFAC

  • A rider triggered an avalanche on a small slope in the Cabin Creek area. Photo: K Bye

Videos- Southern Madison

WebCams


Raynolds Pass, Looking N

Snowpit Profiles- Southern Madison

 

Select a snowpit on the map to view the profile image

Weather Forecast Southern Madison

Extended Forecast for

20 Miles S Big Sky MT

Flood Watch June 8, 12:00pm until June 9, 12:00amClick here for hazard details and duration Flood Watch
  • Overnight

    Overnight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Light and variable wind.

    Partly Cloudy

    Low: 42 °F

  • Thursday

    Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely before noon, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between noon and 5pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 5pm.  High near 58. Light and variable wind becoming south southwest 8 to 13 mph in the morning.  Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

    Showers
    Likely then
    T-storms

    High: 58 °F

  • Thursday
    Night

    Thursday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11pm.  Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 42. South southwest wind 7 to 11 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 50%.

    Scattered
    T-storms then
    Partly Cloudy

    Low: 42 °F

  • Friday

    Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon.  Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. South southwest wind 8 to 13 mph.

    Sunny then
    Chance
    T-storms

    High: 62 °F

  • Friday
    Night

    Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable  after midnight.

    Chance
    T-storms then
    Mostly Cloudy

    Low: 42 °F

  • Saturday

    Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon.  Partly sunny, with a high near 61. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon.  Chance of precipitation is 60%.

    Mostly Sunny
    then Showers
    Likely

    High: 61 °F

  • Saturday
    Night

    Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable  after midnight.

    Chance
    T-storms then
    Mostly Cloudy

    Low: 43 °F

  • Sunday

    Sunday: A slight chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Light and variable wind becoming north northeast 6 to 11 mph in the morning.

    Showers

    High: 60 °F

  • Sunday
    Night

    Sunday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

    Chance
    T-storms then
    Mostly Cloudy

    Low: 41 °F

The Last Word

Thank you to everyone that sent in observations, read the advisories, took an avalanche class or donated money, time or gear. Our success is directly related to community support and the Forest Service. Have a safe spring and summer!

 

4 / 28 / 23  <<  
 
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