Trip Planning for Bridgers

Skiers north of Bridger Bowl Ski Area noted that solar aspects (south-facing) were beginning to shed and there were a number of wet loose avalanches. Photo: E. Heiman

Wind-rippled snow surface near the top of Slushman's Lift. Photo: GNFAC

Mark investigates a thin and weakening snowpack. Despite air temperatures near 40 degrees F mid-day on Monday, the snow surface was 21 degrees F. These large temperature gradients will drive rapid faceting. Photo: GNFAC

Despite air temperatures near 40 degrees F on Monday, the snow surface was 21 degrees F. These large temperature gradients will drive rapid faceting. Photo: GNFAC

The runout of a wet snow avalanche that occurred on Sunday. This is a rocky, south-facing run. Photo: GNFAC

On Sunday, there was an R2-D2 wet snow avalanche out of the run Close Call (see photo). This is a rocky, south-facing run. Photo: GNFAC

 A decent sized loose/ wet D1.5 came down between laps (probably 1300) in what i believe is called gangstas. South facing, steep, thin and rocky. Photo: A. Newman

"Dug a quick pit at 8000', NE aspect, ~30deg slope

Total Height of snow: 80cm

The snowpack is generally in quite good shape for this time of year. Right side up and wet snow at the ground! No primary layer of concern where I dug and the new snow seems to be bonding well. Because of this I did not perform any stability tests." Photo: A. Newman

WE facing snow at 8100 ft Cabin Ck

SE facing snow Cabin Creek

N facing snow Cabin Creek, 9000 ft

Big Sky Ski Patrol triggered this avalanche during mitigation work in The Wave on 11/26/24... "2-3' deep on an ice crust just above the ground with a 2# shot in the Upper rodeo. Volume was limited as most of the snow was loaded just underneath the cornice, but still produced a sizeable size 2... Other paths in the Lenin region ran meaty wind slabs, full track with no significant step downs." Photo: BSSP

Driving up Bridger Canyon this morning, we noted several natural avalanches in wind loaded terrain on Saddle Peak, the Football Field, and in Mundy’s Bowl. All The avalanches seems to be a similar wind slab problem. They broke just below the cornice line. Photo: GNFAC

Cracking on old, faceted, October snow hundreds of feet long. North facing near treeline. Photo: BSSP

Intentional, human-triggered avalanche by a ski patrol breaking at the ground on a north facing slope near treeline. Photo: BSSP

From obs: "I dug a quick pit just off from the ridge and noted an HS of 55cm with an 3cm decomposing crust about 29cm up from the ground. Snowpack ranged from fist hardness down to 1 finger at the base. And though the grains at the ground had some edges and corners, I did not note truly faceted snow at the base."

Photo: H. Darby 

Wind was ripping on the ridge and creating hard wind slabs 3-6” in depth. Photo: C. Avis 

A small avalanche released in the northern bridger range on Sunday. Photo: Amelia

A small avalanche released in the northern bridger range on Sunday. Photo: Amelia

Snowboarders in the northern Bridger Range found a thin snowpack with wind slabs layered on wind slabs. Photo: Z. Bailey

Snowboarders in the northern Bridger Range found a thin snowpack with wind slabs layered on wind slabs. Photo: Z. Bailey

Thin storm slabs in the entrance to Hidden Gully. Photo: M. Beck

Small storm slabs in Hidden Gully. Photo: M. Beck

From obs: "I made it up to an old crown in a north-facing chute around Fairy Lake at around 9400 ft; it broke the night of 11/6 or the morning of 11/7. It looked like a wind slab that broke on a rotten layer of facets intermixed with scree. Found facets to be fairly widespread through the bottom of the snowpack on the north-facing slopes and surface hoar on most nonsolar slopes." Photo: J. Alford

Natural avalanche in Z-chute. observed 11/9. date of activity unknown.

At 8000' just below the Sacajawea trail bowl, there is about 9" of snow.
 

From obs: "On 20241107 I observed a small natural avalanche from the top of the PK lift at Bridger Bowl. The slide occurred  near the Slushman’s lift on a NNE aspect. It started as a small release in the upper start zone and entrained much of the snow in the couloir down to the ground. L-N-D1.5- G... It was a relatively small slide but had enough power to carry a skier or rider through some very nasty terrain. Similar aspect and elevation to the Super Couloir slide." Photo: P. Crockard

"Skier triggered Pocket in super couloir. Wasn't very unexpected, the skiers left side felt a little slabbier than the skiers right and tried to stay off. Triggered going over a sharky rock spot, not very fast moving and easy to ski out of. Snow depth was 2-2.5 feet." Photo: Anonymous

Skiers spotted a skier-triggered avalanche from a distance. Photo: R. Cigler

Snowpit at Bridger Bowl on 11/5. Photo: B. VandenBos

From e-mail: "Photo attached from near top of hyalite peak, 11/2. Cracking in recent hard wind slab, I had to really jump hard to make this. Walked on many other hard slabs that were well bonded. Highly variable snowpack. I think you'd be most likely to get into trouble by popping out a small hard slab pocket like this and getting magic carpeted into some thinly covered terrain." Photo: B. VandenBos

The high peaks of the Bridger Range are holding snow from storm to storm. This will likely make up the foundation of the season’s snow pack. Photo: GNFAC

The high peaks of the Bridger Range are holding snow from storm to storm. This will likely make up the foundation of the season’s snow pack. Photo: GNFAC

The high peaks of the Bridger Range are holding snow from storm to storm. This will likely make up the foundation of the season’s snow pack. Photo: GNFAC

Screenshots of webcams throughout the forecast area show new snow and snow cover on November 1.

From obs: "1-3 mm faceting in front of the Montage. Clear skys and mid 20 temps"

On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Yellowstone Club Webcam

On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Bridger Bowl Webcams

The 26th annual fundraiser for the Friends of the GNFAC is October 25 at the Emerson Cultural Center. More info and tickets at: https://events.eventgroove.com/event/Powder-Blast-2024-101627