Touring in Bradley Meadow
3x ECTX on NE facing 7,400ft. 15cm of new storm snow. Moderate SW winds with strong gusts. S2 from 11am -1pm, S1 snowfall beginning as we exited the field (1530). Blowing snow observed throughout the day.
3x ECTX on NE facing 7,400ft. 15cm of new storm snow. Moderate SW winds with strong gusts. S2 from 11am -1pm, S1 snowfall beginning as we exited the field (1530). Blowing snow observed throughout the day.
A wind slab avalanche was seen just below Two Top. This appeared to be a natural slide although tracks can be seen above and to the left of the crown. This was on a northeast facing slope that was wind loaded. The avalanche appeared to be fresh after recent snow.
A few dry loose avalanches on Climax, plus two small crowns. One was older and drifted in. The other was a small, recent wind slab.
Overnight it snowed 8 inches of low density at the yurt, and an additional 3 inches today.
No avalanches or cr, co observed. Wind loading observed multiple aspects NTL.
From obs: "Probably already reported...but touchy storm slabs on Mt Blackmore. Attached is a photo of a natural from the approach, at the switchbacks to the upper basin."
From obs: Saw a fairly large (could bury a person) slide while heading up to ski on mt Blackmore. It was on a north aspect at around 8700 ft. It seemed to have failed in the recent storm snow, some wind may have made the slab a little thicker. The debris covered a portion of yesterday’s ski track. Higher in the bowl we found unstable snow around ridge lines, with several small loose sluffs coming down."
Probably already reported...but touchy storm slabs on Mt Blackmore. Attached is a photo of a natural from the approach, at the switchbacks to the upper basin.
Photo: Anonymous
Probably already reported...but touchy storm slabs on Mt Blackmore. Attached is a photo of a natural from the approach, at the switchbacks to the upper basin.
Saw a fairly large (could bury a person) slide while heading up to ski on mt Blackmore. It was on a north aspect at around 8700 ft. It seemed to have failed in the recent storm snow, some wind may have made the slab a little thicker. The debris covered a portion of yesterday’s ski track. Higher in the bowl we found unstable snow around ridge lines, with several small loose sluffs coming down.
Was out with an avalanche class today, strong, swirling mid mountain winds and boottop new snow.
Our group got a small test slope to slide a small pocket of recent wind slab, then dug on an ENE aspect near the top of Bradley's HS 200cm, ETCP28 on that same fresh windslab down 25cm. That area was heavily wind effected from earlier this week.
Around the corner on a more scoured ESE aspect HS 80-90cm the snowpack had 2-3mm wet facets at the ground, ECTP24 10cm off the ground failing in facets.
Skiing was variable, but much improved from yesterday's breakable wind crust!
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It is snowing and blowing, and there are weak layers low in the snowpack. This is the perfect recipe for </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>dangerous avalanche conditions</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind Slab avalanches </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>will be very easily triggered on slopes loading by the strong winds. In general, expect these slides to break 1-3 ft deep, but they could break even deeper on particularly loaded slopes. Wind Slabs were already seen breaking naturally yesterday (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/33472"><span><span><span><span><span><… and photos</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>) and winds were drifting snow on low elevation slopes that are often untouched by the wind. With more wind and snow, wind slabs will break deeper and be even more easily triggered today.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Will today’s loading be what it takes to see widespread </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Persistent Slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>? Honestly, I’m not sure - but I do know that it makes me very nervous. Slides breaking on the weak layers in the lower snowpack would be big and destructive. During a big loading event is not the time to test your luck with these weak layers.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Don’t try to outsmart the avalanche hazard today - simply avoid all slopes steeper than 30 degrees and the runouts beneath those slopes as well. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There is some uncertainty in how heavy the snowfall will be today. If the new snow really piles up and the intensity of snowfall spikes we could see dangerous</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Storm Slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> in places untouched by the wind.. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Triggering avalanches is LIKELY and the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE today.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Winds have picked up near West Yellowstone, Island Park and Cooke City too, but less new snow has fallen and little more is expected today. This means that wind loaded slopes are the dominant concern in these areas. You could trigger either </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind Slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> breaking within the recently drifted snow or </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Persistent Slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> breaking on the weak layers lower in the snowpack. Recent avalanches breaking 4-6 ft deep on the weak layers near the ground on Mt. Abundance (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/25/fresh-persistent-slab-south-mt-ab…;) and Henderson Mtn. (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/25/persistent-slab-above-henderson-b…;), demonstrate how powerful these slides can be. Slopes without wind affect aren’t 100% risk free, but they won’t have wind slabs to break and the weak layers near the ground have now gotten a decent break from loading, so they are a much safer option. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Cautious route finding is key today. Search out smaller, sheltered slopes untouched by the wind (where the riding should be better anyways) or keep it even simpler by sticking to slopes less than 30 degrees steep.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on windloaded slopes and MODERATE on all other slopes.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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