Bridger Bowl Ski patrol snapped a photo of this natural slab avalanche on the west side of the Bridgers near Truman Gulch. Photo: BBSP
18-19
Cracking and Collapsing in Henry's Mountains
Cracking and collapsing on a 31-degree slope near the Lionshead area down south. The slab was 3-4' deep, and the slope was on the verge of being steep enough to avalanche. From the email: " fractured about 20’x10’ area initially, maybe 3-4’ deep. We got off the hill and it continued to fracture in bigger spots but did not slide more than a foot total." Photo: S. Thompson
Cracking and collapsing on a 31-degree slope near the Lionshead area down south. The slab was 3-4' deep, and the slope was on the verge of being steep enough to avalanche. From the email: " fractured about 20’x10’ area initially, maybe 3-4’ deep. We got off the hill and it continued to fracture in bigger spots but did not slide more than a foot total." Photo: S. Thompson
Big Natural Avalanches in the Bridgers
Skiers in the Bridgers saw multiple large natural avalanches in the Bridgers that had released during recent snow and wind loading. From the email: "Looks like things really went off in the Bridgers in the last few days. Loads of natural avalanche activity, much of it appearing to fail on deeper layers than the new/old interface." Photo: B. VandenBos
Skiers in the Bridgers saw multiple large natural avalanches in the Bridgers that had released during recent snow and wind loading. From the email: "Looks like things really went off in the Bridgers in the last few days. Loads of natural avalanche activity, much of it appearing to fail on deeper layers than the new/old interface." This is the third large avalanche that has been reported on Bridger Peak this season. Photo: B. VandenBos
Skiers in the Bridgers saw multiple large natural avalanches in the Bridgers that had released during recent snow and wind loading. From the email: "Looks like things really went off in the Bridgers in the last few days. Loads of natural avalanche activity, much of it appearing to fail on deeper layers than the new/old interface." This avalanche in the Hourglass was triggered by a large chunk of cornice that broke off. Photo: B. VandenBos
Skiers in the Bridgers saw multiple large natural avalanches in the Bridgers that had released during recent snow and wind loading. From the email: "Looks like things really went off in the Bridgers in the last few days. Loads of natural avalanche activity, much of it appearing to fail on deeper layers than the new/old interface." Photo: B. VandenBos
Skier triggered near Bradley's meadow
A skier triggered this slide around two o'clock in Bradley's Meadow on 1/26. From e-mail: "The snow propagated when I made my first turn on a convex roll above the slope skiers right of the main meadow, just before the flat area before going up The Ramp. The slab broke right under my feet and propagated 20-25 feet on either side of me. The crown was 7" deep where I triggered it but some spots of it were as deep as 13". My friends and I decided that the slide was R3 and D1-D2. Luckily I was able to ski out of the slide right when it propagated so no one was caught in it."
Skiers triggered this avalanche in dense trees while ascending Mt. Ellis. From the email: "While subsequently skiing up through dense trees climbing to the north to attempt to reach the mid section of the going-home chute, a medium-size bowl-shaped opening in the trees released a soft slab just as we were entering the opening. The crown was ~24” deep and ~80-100’ across. Total snow depth in that area was less than three feet. The avalanche ran probably 500 vertical feet down a shallow gully. Neither my partner nor I where caught but way too close for comfort"
Skier Triggered Avalanche Mt. Ellis
Skiers triggered this avalanche in dense trees while ascending Mt. Ellis. From the email: "While subsequently skiing up through dense trees climbing to the north to attempt to reach the mid section of the going-home chute, a medium-size bowl-shaped opening in the trees released a soft slab just as we were entering the opening. The crown was ~24” deep and ~80-100’ across. Total snow depth in that area was less than three feet. The avalanche ran probably 500 vertical feet down a shallow gully. Neither my partner nor I where caught but way too close for comfort."