Trip Planning for Bridgers

as of 5:00 am
Apr 300″ | 5-11 W
Apr 29 0″ | 10-21 W
Apr 28 1″ | 20-50 W
8100′     06/07 at 06:00
49℉
0″New
8500′     06/05 at 20:00
57℉
E - 8mph
Gusts 19 mph
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.”

  • 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.

  • "Pictures from this morning (May 1) but I’m sure these all ran late last week. They took out at least one or two skin tracks set during the big dump (40”) that ran right up the center." Photo: A. Crawford

  • "Pictures from this morning (May 1) but I’m sure these all ran late last week. They took out at least one or two skin tracks set during the big dump (40”) that ran right up the center." Photo: A. Crawford

  • Obs. 4/26/23: "Saw a number of large wet slides at Bridger Bowl the morning of 4/26. One running deep into North Bowl, and a couple other large slides in Bridger Gully coming off the ridge. These seemed to be recent -- likely from the past 48 hours." Photo: K. Gordon

  • From obs. 4/26/23: "Saw a number of large wet slides at Bridger Bowl the morning of 4/26. One running deep into North Bowl, and a couple other large slides in Bridger Gully coming off the ridge. These seemed to be recent -- likely from the past 48 hours." Photo: K. Gordon

  • From obs: "On 4/22 at 12:30pm we were part way up the boot pack (now skin track) up from Bridger chair to the ridge. We heard someone yelling and looked over to see a skier caught in an avalanche just above North Bowl Road. The slide came to a stop at the road (they were on top the whole time), and the skier yelled that they were ok. Seemed like they were skiing alone but more of the party may have been out of view. We had not seen wet snow concerns until about 30 minutes before the incident. By the time we left bridger, most chutes had slides out of them."

  • From obs 4/19/23: "We observed a large slide at the Apron that was released from the Hidden Gully. In a whiteout, we couldn't tell the size, but it looked quite substantial. The slide didn't go all the way to the bottom."

  • From obs 4/19/23: "New snow is not bonding well to the old snow surface.  Sluffing and running far on steeper terrain.  Photo taken on First Finger. Heavy snowfall and wind." Photo: J. Curry

  • From 4/13/23: "Small storm slab off the steep drift on skier's R/skinner's L side of upper Thunder Road. Also felt some cracking and collapsing when I (briefly) stepped off the skin track to get to the top of Pierre's Knob."

  • On 4/13/23: "skinned up to the ridge and observed 5-9 inches of new and accumulating snow forming into wind drifts that were highly reactive. Multiple remote triggers occurred while traveling N on the ridge, propagating  both on W and E faces of the ridge. Both Hidden and Northwest Passage slid with little effort down to an icy bed surface. Debris at bottom of hidden was substantial but great skiing."

  • Pics of a natural wet slide that came out of Close Call yesterday afternoon (4/11/23), debris ran to the bottom of moonshine. Photo: BBSP

  • Pics of a natural wet slide that came out of Close Call yesterday afternoon (4/11/23), debris ran to the bottom of moonshine. Photo: BBSP

  • Pics of a natural wet slide that came out of Close Call yesterday afternoon (4/11/23), debris ran to the bottom of moonshine. Photo: BBSP

  • From 4/11/23: "Although I only photographed North Bowl slides that ran very far, most of the chutes showed signs of wet slides running from the ridge. These were both in the bowl next to PK and north bowl."

  • 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

  • From 4/11/23: Yesterday (4/10) Colters released a wet slide (approx 1-3pm) that filled the top of the wiggle and left debris 300ft past the south bowl traverse.

    Today Stupor had a similar sized release just after noon. 

    photo J. Lee

  • From 4/11/23: Yesterday (4/10) Colters released a wet slide (approx 1-3pm) that filled the top of the wiggle and left debris 300ft past the south bowl traverse.

    Today Stupor had a similar sized release just after noon.

    The best noted natural release was a wet slab release on the southern edge of the football field that put a pile of debris below the cave.

  • From Obs: "Big Unit of an avalanche, photo was taken from the Seitz road." Photo: P Puettmann

  • From obs: "South of Saddle Peak, ~8500', ENE aspect, 2-3' crown depth estimated and likely cornice-triggered. N-facing snow remained dry until the latter afternoon when a high sun angle cooked everything but the truest due north. Avalanche appeared to be all new snow likely on a PWL buried near the end of March. Winds moving snow up high, but everything appeared locked on."

  • Skinner triggered slide north of the hourglass. Run name unknown. Remotely triggered from ridge line; snowboarder said he was skinning 35 feet away from trigger point; no one buried. I also observed point releases as I was skinning up to texas meadows; snow seemed to change quickly under blue skies and increasing temperature. Slide ran in front of me, taking out the skin track. 

  • Skinner triggered slide north of the hourglass. Run name unknown. Remotely triggered from ridge line; snowboarder said he was skinning 35 feet away from trigger point; no one buried. I also observed point releases as I was skinning up to texas meadows; snow seemed to change quickly under blue skies and increasing temperature. Slide ran in front of me, taking out the skin track. 

  • Skinner triggered slide north of the hourglass. Run name unknown. Remotely triggered from ridge line; snowboarder said he was skinning 35 feet away from trigger point; no one buried. I also observed point releases as I was skinning up to texas meadows; snow seemed to change quickly under blue skies and increasing temperature. Slide ran in front of me, taking out the skin track. 

  • A group of skiers saw a natural avalanche on an east, facing slope off of Naya Nuki Mountain in the Bridger range. It likely avalanche early in the morning on April 2. Photo: T. Miller

  • From IG: A group of writers reported seeing three new natural avalanches on April 1." Photo: Hannah

  • From 4/1/23: "...we saw a large natural avalanche above Ainger lake (E-SE facing) that ran from near the top of the ridge itself to propelling debris up, over, and past the lake. The crown ranged from 2-5ft high spanning 400-500ft across the face." Photo: G. Westling

  • From 4/1/23: "...we saw a large natural avalanche above Ainger lake (E-SE facing) that ran from near the top of the ridge itself to propelling debris up, over, and past the lake. The crown ranged from 2-5ft high spanning 400-500ft across the face." Photo: G. Westling

  • From 4/1/23: "Saw this crown from a distance today. Possibly natural R3-D3 on ESE aspect, likely caused by wind loading. Unsure when it occurred, but crown looked large and debris ran into the flats mowing down some small flag trees. "

  • We observed evidence of a couple of recent slab avalanches at the throne. Photo: J. Weingarten

  • From IG: Battle ridge today/yesterday the 27th. Noticed this and a few other smaller solar releases as well as a couple storm slabs from during the cycle. Sun crust formed rapidly and there was a lot of wind loading in the afternoon. Photo: P Norvell

  • 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

  • A runner reported on 3/24/23: "I observed the results of a wet slide avalanche within the first mile of Middle Cottonwood Creek Trail. The slide came down from the south side of the canyon (north facing), and crossed the trail at about 4-5' deep and 10' across at the trail with debris and into the creek at the creek crossing about .75 mile from the trailhead. The crown was only about 100' up the side of the canyon. The avalanche would've occurred earlier in the week, there was just the skiff of snow on it from the previous light snow (22nd?).... This is the 3rd wet slide I've seen in the last 3-4 weeks on Middle Cottonwood in the same region where the trail is on the south side of the creek (mile .4-.80 from summer trailhead)... I've seen wet slides in that area 3 of the last 4 years once the sun hammers that south slope in the afternoon. I would expect more at the next warm spell after this current storm cycle."

  • A runner reported on 3/24/23: "I observed the results of a wet slide avalanche within the first mile of Middle Cottonwood Creek Trail. The slide came down from the south side of the canyon (north facing), and crossed the trail at about 4-5' deep and 10' across at the trail with debris and into the creek at the creek crossing about .75 mile from the trailhead. The crown was only about 100' up the side of the canyon. The avalanche would've occurred earlier in the week, there was just the skiff of snow on it from the previous light snow (22nd?).... This is the 3rd wet slide I've seen in the last 3-4 weeks on Middle Cottonwood in the same region where the trail is on the south side of the creek (mile .4-.80 from summer trailhead)... I've seen wet slides in that area 3 of the last 4 years once the sun hammers that south slope in the afternoon. I would expect more at the next warm spell after this current storm cycle."

  • As we returned to Frazier Basin from below, we saw five natural avalanches on the southeast-facing wall of the basin. They entrained only the 1 to 2 inches of snow that had fallen during the day. However, they were notable in that they ran 500 to 700 vertical feet. They indicate that the new snow may not bond well to the old snow surface. A crust formed by the recent warm temperatures and sunny skies is the subsurface that snow is falling on. This will become a more significant concern as more snow falls this week. Photo: GNFAC
     

     

  • From obs: "Noticed this large avalanche in unsupported terrain yesterday morning. I called it HS-N-R3-D3-U although it looks to have failed on facets at the ground. Frequent flyer but impressive. Debris was approx. the size of a football field and 8-10' deep, ran full extent of D3 track." A Newman

  • From obs: "Noticed this large avalanche in unsupported terrain yesterday morning. I called it HS-N-R3-D3-U although it looks to have failed on facets at the ground. Frequent flyer but impressive. Debris was approx. the size of a football field and 8-10' deep, ran full extent of D3 track." A Newman

  • From obs: "Noticed this large avalanche in unsupported terrain yesterday morning. I called it HS-N-R3-D3-U although it looks to have failed on facets at the ground. Frequent flyer but impressive. Debris was approx. the size of a football field and 8-10' deep, ran full extent of D3 track." A Newman

  • From IG message 3/11/23: "...yesterday, at Fairy Lake, very windy and this slid naturally sometime between when we got to the area at noon and 3oclock. There was also a smaller natural wind slab in the northern bowl with arrowhead. Observed wind loading all day." Photo: P. Norvell

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Weather Forecast Bridgers

Extended Forecast for

10 Miles NNE Bozeman MT

Flood Watch June 8, 12:00pm until June 10, 06:00amClick here for hazard details and duration Flood Watch
  • Today

    Today: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 3pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 3pm and 5pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm.  Increasing clouds, with a high near 70. Southeast wind 6 to 10 mph becoming north northwest in the afternoon.  Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

    Sunny then
    Showers
    Likely

    High: 70 °F

  • Tonight

    Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. East northeast wind 5 to 13 mph.

    Chance
    T-storms then
    Slight Chance
    T-storms

    Low: 48 °F

  • Thursday

    Thursday: A chance of showers before 9am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 9am and noon, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain.  High near 65. East wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

    Heavy Rain

    High: 65 °F

  • Thursday
    Night

    Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain.  Low around 47. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast  after midnight.  Chance of precipitation is 80%.

    Heavy Rain

    Low: 47 °F

  • Friday

    Friday: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain.  Partly sunny, with a high near 68. South southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming west in the afternoon.  Chance of precipitation is 70%.

    Chance
    Showers then
    Heavy Rain

    High: 68 °F

  • Friday
    Night

    Friday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light  after midnight.  Chance of precipitation is 60%.

    Heavy Rain

    Low: 47 °F

  • Saturday

    Saturday: A chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon.  High near 65. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.  Chance of precipitation is 80%.

    Chance
    Showers then
    Showers

    High: 65 °F

  • Saturday
    Night

    Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a slight chance of showers.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. East wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

    Showers
    Likely

    Low: 48 °F

  • Sunday

    Sunday: A chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63.

    Showers

    High: 63 °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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