Photos

A layer of nsf's and surface hoar was failing ~10 inches deep and causing shooting cracks

A layer of nsf's and surface hoar was failing ~10 inches deep and causing shooting cracks

Lots of wind transport filling in the skin track between laps and creating light reactive slabs ~5” deep in places (see photo) primarily out of the west but generally inconsistent in direction. Photo: E Kiesz

Buried SH below the 2/1 storm. 1-2cm thick layer buried approximately 20cm deep below F precip particles. Photo: M Zia 

Skied north of Cooke City. Lots of cracking and small slabs on pillows. Observed one small wind slab on NW facing slope 9200 ft. Photo: BPG

Skied north of Cooke City. Lots of cracking and small slabs on pillows. Photo: BPG

Cracking and isolated pockets of wind slab in Beehive. 

Human triggered release of cornice overhang near the weather station on Buck Ridge. Recent activity next to the small release. Crown 1-2’ deep, 40’ run, 75’ across running over the tracks riding underneath in the recent wind transported slab.

From obs: "Wind was rocking in alpine today, fresh windslabs forming and naturally releasing. I could make out 3 on E face, but rough vis with blowing snow. Exposed terrain in alpine had about .5” ice crust from yesterday’s sunshine.

This slab (in pic) released around 11-noon-ish." Photo taken 1/31/25

From email: "Today I drove down Taylor fork road, with the thought of potentially getting up on woodward mtn, until I saw a crown on the NE
Face of its northern summit, basically wall to wall near the top of  the slide path. There were a couple other sled tracks that also went to the end of the road, so I figured maybe it was pretty recent, as I didn’t hear about it in the advisory. Concerning because it appears to have propagated maybe 250ft across,  while maybe only 1-2 ft deep". Photo taken on 1/30/25. Photo: T. Grande

Two Point release avalanches on south slope of Two Top. 1/30/25. Photo: K. Allred

On Jan 30 we spotted several loose wet avalanches that occurred yesterday in steep, rocky terrain up Sheep Creek. Photo: GNFAC

On Jan 30 we noted an old, deep persistent slab avalanche on a NW' aspect near the south end of the Republic Creek drainage. This likely broke around a week ago. Photo: GNFAC

We also spotted a small, snowmobile triggered avalanche on a steep, east facing slope in Muddy Creek.  Photo: USFS Snow Rangers 

Saw this cool illustration of wind deposition, scouring and unaffected snow on a ridge line near the top of Bear Creek at the far end of Buck Ridge. Photo: USFS Snow Rangers 

Photo: M R

Wide spread layer of Surface Hoar mid and upper elevations Two Top area

The surface evolved throughout the day, so we must continue tracking its progression. We found surface hoar in the valley of Beehive, where inverted temperatures were the coldest, crusts with near-surface facets below, and some straight near-surface facet—recycled powder, along with thicker crust and wet snow. Photo: GNFAC

The surface evolved throughout the day, so we must continue tracking its progression. We found surface hoar in the valley of Beehive, where inverted temperatures were the coldest, crusts with near-surface facets below, and some straight near-surface facet—recycled powder, along with thicker crust and wet snow. Photo: GNFAC

Large surface hoar across a variety of elevations and aspects at Lick Creek. It was 2-5mm large and present on almost all flats and non-solar aspects. Photo: W Hubbard