This will be our last trail report for the Spring Riding season! If this year is like last year, expect our next Winter reports to start by early November. There is some good high altitude riding if you can trailer your sled to a higher starting point such as Targhee Pass. Current snow depths include: 17” here in West Yellowstone, 55” on the Madison Plateau, 57”at Lionhead, 72.8”at Carrot Basin (Sunlight Basin riding area), and 88.1” at Black Bear (8,666’). Neighboring Idaho Mountains report 21.5”at Island Park, 55” at Sawtelle, 54.9” at White Elephant, and 31.4” at Pine Creek Pass.

WET SNOW AVALANCHE DANGER: On days when the sun shines, sun exposed slopes will be warmed to the point of wet snow instability. Sinking to your boot tops in wet slush, and pin wheeling snow that grows to more then a foot in diameter before breaking up, indicate that it’s time to call it a day. As long as mountain temperatures drop below freezing at night, wet slide activity will likely be confined to the snow in the upper foot of the of the snowpack. The big danger during these conditions is the chance that a small wet slide will add enough weight to the snowpack to trigger a slab avalanche on one of the buried weak layers. Once temperatures stay above freezing at night, the chance of triggering a large wet slide increases. Being caught in one of these is analogous to being run over by a bulldozer.
Riders around West Yellowstone should watch for wildlife on trails. Bison and elk can be found along trails, roadways and creeks. Remember, bears fresh out of hibernation tend to remain around their dens for a few days, or if the snow is too deep and spring is slow in coming, they move to lower elevations to search for green grasses.
The General Avalanche Hazard for The Bridger, Gallatin and Madison Ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City, and the Washburn Range: By yesterday morning a total of 1-2 feet of snow fell over southwest Montana with the mountains around Big Sky, West Yellowstone and Cooke City getting the most. During avalanche control the Bridger Bowl Ski Patrol easily released 10-inch soft slabs which were all sliding on the ice crust buried under the new snow. This crust is found on most aspects throughout our advisory area and the new snow sitting on it is a concern. Two natural avalanches, estimated at least 2 feet deep, occurred yesterday morning on Cedar Mountain near Big Sky. These slid on the underlying ice.

At higher elevation, north-facing slopes, this crust may be thin or nonexistent. The snowpack here has buried weak layers and as a skier found out on Monday, it’s still possible to trigger a slide. He was on a north-facing slope in the northern Gallatin Range, retreating from his intended line after he got a collapse. Crossing a gully he triggered the slope that broke 4 feet deep and carried him unharmed 1000 feet downhill. Faceted snow near the ground was the weak layer that fractured.

For today, the avalanche danger throughout our entire forecast area is CONSIDERABLE on all wind-loaded slopes steeper than 35 degrees. A MODERATE danger exists on all other slopes steeper than 35 degrees and a LOW danger on all other terrain.

what happened to JAN? no reports since 2007