09-10

Avalanches are still happening in the northern Madison Range.  This avalanche likely failed on surface hoar or near surface factets. Photo by Tom Leonard.

The photographer caught a picture of a giant cornice exploding down a big north aspect in Sheep Creek outside Cooke City.  It covered fresh snowmobile tracks with debris. Photo by Beau Fredlund.

This slide occured just out of the advisory area south of West Yellowstone on Mt Two Top.  It likely slid on surface hoar on Feb 14.  Last season this same slope produced an avalanche runnning on surface hoar and injured a rider when it swept him into the trees.  Slopes like this one are good places to suspect buried surface hoar because they are slightly sheltered from wind, but have a good view of cold clear skies.  These areas would also have lots of dew in the grass on the summer mornings.   Photo - T Campbell

This avalanche was triggered by a cornice drop from the ridge above.  It broke nearly 1,000 feet wide and ran 1,000 vertical with a crown face of 3-5 feet.  It failed on facets near the ground.  Photo by Matt Weiland