Trip Planning for Bridgers

A small avalanche released in the northern bridger range on Sunday. Photo: Amelia

A small avalanche released in the northern bridger range on Sunday. Photo: Amelia

Snowboarders in the northern Bridger Range found a thin snowpack with wind slabs layered on wind slabs. Photo: Z. Bailey

Snowboarders in the northern Bridger Range found a thin snowpack with wind slabs layered on wind slabs. Photo: Z. Bailey

Thin storm slabs in the entrance to Hidden Gully. Photo: M. Beck

Small storm slabs in Hidden Gully. Photo: M. Beck

From obs: "I made it up to an old crown in a north-facing chute around Fairy Lake at around 9400 ft; it broke the night of 11/6 or the morning of 11/7. It looked like a wind slab that broke on a rotten layer of facets intermixed with scree. Found facets to be fairly widespread through the bottom of the snowpack on the north-facing slopes and surface hoar on most nonsolar slopes." Photo: J. Alford

Natural avalanche in Z-chute. observed 11/9. date of activity unknown.

At 8000' just below the Sacajawea trail bowl, there is about 9" of snow.
 

From obs: "On 20241107 I observed a small natural avalanche from the top of the PK lift at Bridger Bowl. The slide occurred  near the Slushman’s lift on a NNE aspect. It started as a small release in the upper start zone and entrained much of the snow in the couloir down to the ground. L-N-D1.5- G... It was a relatively small slide but had enough power to carry a skier or rider through some very nasty terrain. Similar aspect and elevation to the Super Couloir slide." Photo: P. Crockard

"Skier triggered Pocket in super couloir. Wasn't very unexpected, the skiers left side felt a little slabbier than the skiers right and tried to stay off. Triggered going over a sharky rock spot, not very fast moving and easy to ski out of. Snow depth was 2-2.5 feet." Photo: Anonymous

Skiers spotted a skier-triggered avalanche from a distance. Photo: R. Cigler

Snowpit at Bridger Bowl on 11/5. Photo: B. VandenBos

From e-mail: "Photo attached from near top of hyalite peak, 11/2. Cracking in recent hard wind slab, I had to really jump hard to make this. Walked on many other hard slabs that were well bonded. Highly variable snowpack. I think you'd be most likely to get into trouble by popping out a small hard slab pocket like this and getting magic carpeted into some thinly covered terrain." Photo: B. VandenBos

The high peaks of the Bridger Range are holding snow from storm to storm. This will likely make up the foundation of the season’s snow pack. Photo: GNFAC

The high peaks of the Bridger Range are holding snow from storm to storm. This will likely make up the foundation of the season’s snow pack. Photo: GNFAC

The high peaks of the Bridger Range are holding snow from storm to storm. This will likely make up the foundation of the season’s snow pack. Photo: GNFAC

Screenshots of webcams throughout the forecast area show new snow and snow cover on November 1.

From obs: "1-3 mm faceting in front of the Montage. Clear skys and mid 20 temps"

On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Yellowstone Club Webcam

On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Bridger Bowl Webcams

The 26th annual fundraiser for the Friends of the GNFAC is October 25 at the Emerson Cultural Center. More info and tickets at: https://events.eventgroove.com/event/Powder-Blast-2024-101627