Avalanche in Sunlight Basin. There were 10 natural avalanches from Wednesday's snow and wind and event in the Taylor Fork. Photo: GNFAC
From an email obervation:
...widespread avalanche activity.
...central Gallatin Range, a mid elevation easterly aspect.
... 3 photos are from around Cooke City, all viewed from the road today (photos 1 and 3 are westerly aspects). Photo 2 is a northerly aspect. All mid elevations.
This small, natural avalanche released on a west aspect outside Cooke City. It was seen from the road. Photo: B. Fredlund
This small, natural avalanche released on a north aspect outside Cooke City. It was seen from the road. Photo: B. Fredlund
This small, natural avalanche released on a west aspect outside Cooke City. It was seen from the road. Photo: B. Fredlund
Snowfall and strong wind triggered this avalanche on 1/13/2021. Photo: B. Fredlund
We did a short tour yesterday in the middle of the storm into the Republic Creek drainage. Skies were overcast with light to heavy snow falling at times. Winds were gusting at times 60-80 mph, enough to blow you over if you weren't careful. Variable snowpack, wet and heavy down low until about 8800 feet then it got colder and less dense but was blowing around all over the place. The new snow was setting up very slabby in places with cracking expanding outward from the skin track and storm snow easily sliding at every kick turn. We did not dig a pit and instead opted to bail out at about 9400 feet and ski tighter trees back down to the creek bottom and home. The winds had stripped snow on the windward side with some larger drifts on the leeward side. However, in the basin, winds were coming from every direction at times. Not a very scientific observation but wanted to share what it was like in the storm up there yesterday. Caution really needs to be practiced as there are dense storm slabs sitting on large surface hoar/facets that had setup from the days of high pressure and winds may have deposited large amounts of snow in places.
This avalanche is on the east side of Lionhead Ridge. Trigger is unknown; elevation is 9,000'. Photo: GNFAC
This avalanche was likely triggered by a snowmobiler on 1/9/21. It is on Ski Hill and the slope avalanched in between the two avalanches that Dave and Doug triggered earlier. It failed on depth hoar; east facing, 8,000'. Photo: GNFAC
