Photos

Shooting cracks that propagated in all directions, 50' wide. Photo: GNFAC

Shooting cracks while approaching Lionhead Ridge. Photo: GNFAC

Doug Chabot pointing to a layer of buried surface hoar that failed while isolating an extended column test, ECTPV. Photo: GNFAC

The Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund is hosting two fundraisers on January 16 at The Waypoint and January 18 at Beehive Basin Brewery in Big Sky. 

Skiers on Woody Ridge saw a recent natural avalanche that likely happened yesterday, 01/07. The crown is 8-16" deep and runs a few hundred feet down the gully on a wind-loaded slope. Photo. N. Stayner

Skiers on Woody Ridge saw a recent natural avalanche that likely happened yesterday, 01/07. The crown is 8-16" deep and runs a few hundred feet down the gully on a wind-loaded slope. Photo. N. Stayner

Snowpit at the Head of Hellroaring Creek on 1/7/24. Note the two stripes of surface hoar in the pit wall.

We measured 16" of low-density snow equaling 0.7" of snow water equivalent at higher elevations in the Centennial Mountains of Island Park, ID. The new snow is sitting on a couple of layers of feathery surface hoar and a weak snowpack. It will not take much wind, settlement, or new snow to push the snowpack to the breaking point. Photo: GNFAC

New snow in Island Park made for beautiful views and heightened avalanche danger as the new snow fell on a snowpack riddled with weak layers. Photo: GNFAC

This natural avalanche happened following recent snow on 01/05, likely on the morning of 01/06. Photo: GNFAC

From Obs: "Loose snow avalanches were still sensitive to triggers. These avalanches would start in the new snow but entrain the weak faceted snow below resulting in larger avalanches than what recent storm snow could produce on its own." Photo: GNFAC

Snowpit in Second Yellow Mule. The gray line above the shovel is a layer of well-preserved buried surface hoar 12-16mm in size. Photo: GNFAC

This natural avalanche happened following recent snow on 01/05, likely on the morning of 01/06. Photo: GNFAC

Remotely triggered avalanche on a test slope in Muddy Creek. Photo: GNFAC

Avalanche on a steep rollover near Muddy Creek that was likely triggered remotely while approaching on foot or from above by snow machine. Photo: GNFAC

Remotely triggered avalanche on a test slope in Muddy Creek. Photo: GNFAC

Buried well-preserved surface hoar found at Buck Ridge, 10-12mm in size. Photo: GNFAC

From obs: "With no slabs, there wasn’t any propagating but with a heavy ski cut two of the point releases were triggered, and the third when skiing. All three went to the ground. All triggered after the first skier made no impact on the slope." Photo: Anonymous

From obs: "With no slabs, there wasn’t any propagating but with a heavy ski cut two of the point releases were triggered, and the third when skiing. All three went to the ground. All triggered after the first skier made no impact on the slope." Photo: Anonymous

Loose snow avalanche observed on Henderson Mountain following yesterday's (01/04) storm. Photo: J. Padilla