13-14

Since a 2 week dry period in late January, the mountains near Cooke City have received 11.5 inches of snow water equivalent. Some areas north of town may have easily received much more than this amount.

This slide was triggered by a snowboarder in this area just below the camera. The debris ran 250 vertical feet below and took out a live tree that can be seen in the debris. This avalanche happened on 2/26. Photo: GNFAC

The snowboarder was carried and partially buried at the red X. A few feet to the right and he would have been slammed into the tree. About 15 feet to the left and he could have been completely buried as the debris was 6-8 ft deep. This avalanche happened on 2/26. Photo: GNFAC

The avalanche in Chippewa cliffs in the backcountry on Lone Mountain broke near the middle of the snowpack on a layer of small facets that formed in late January. This avalanche happened on 2/26. Photo: GNFAC

The avalanche was triggered by the second skier in a group of two.  The first skier safely descended 400' and pulled off into thick trees.  The second skier hit a thin and weak spot on the slope and triggered a deep slab avalanche.  It broke 10-12 feet deep, ran full width and 1300 feet downslope. No one was caught.

Looking downslope after the hard slab avalanche released. Classification: HS-AS-O-R3.5-D3

This is a pictures taken minutes before it was triggered.  The second skier down the slope triggered it below them from a thin spot (1 foot deep).

From the Big Sky Ski Patrol:

There was a snowboard triggered avalanche in the Chippewa Ridge area which is adjacent to Wyoming Bowl.  The area is easterly facing, open timber with a lot of cliffs and rock outcroppings.  9400 ft. elevation +/-.  The slide broke about 50 linear feet below the ridge top and was 250-300 ft. wide, which we had never seen in that area before.  The crown was up to 3’ deep.  The ridge is only about 200 vertical feet tall and the slide ran to the bottom.  R3D2.