Good Morning. This is Alex Marienthal with the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Forecast issued on Saturday, December 8th at 6:45 a.m. This forecast is sponsored by Community Food Co-op and Montana State Parks. This forecast does not apply to operating ski areas.
This morning the mountains have no new snow, temperatures are teens to low 20s F, and wind is 10-20 mph with gusts of 25 mph out of the west-southwest. Today, temperatures will be in the mid-20s F with westerly wind at 15-25 mph. The high pressure weather pattern will continue through the weekend with the next chance for snow Tuesday morning.
With the exception of the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the snowpack throughout our advisory area is 2-3 feet deep, supportive, and lacks widespread buried weak layers. We observed these generally stable conditions over the past week in Hyalite (video), Taylor Fork (video), near Big Sky (video), and the Bridger Range (video). The snowpack near West Yellowstone is shallower and weaker (video), but generally stable for now without recent snow and wind.
Reported avalanche activity last week was confined to small avalanches of new and wind-drifted snow (Avalanche Activity). Four days without snow or heavy wind-loading makes avalanches unlikely to be triggered today. Ice climbers in Hyalite triggered a small wind-drifted pocket of snow yesterday (photo), which shows avalanches are not impossible. Remain cautious of wind-loaded slopes and assess the consequences of being caught in even a small slide. Today, generally safe avalanche conditions exist and the avalanche danger is rated LOW.
Check out the snowpit profile page on our website for a snapshot of the snowpack structure across our advisory area.
If you get out and have any avalanche or snowpack observations to share, contact us via our website, email (mtavalanche@gmail.com), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).
Upcoming Avalanche Education and Events
Our education calendar is full of awareness lectures and field courses. Check it out: Events and Education Calendar.
BOZEMAN
Tomorrow, December 9, Beacon Park for the Bozeman Ice Fest, Grotto Falls parking lot, Hyalite Canyon, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
December 11 and 12, Snowmobile Intro to Avalanches w/Field, Holiday Inn, West Yellowstone; more info here.
December 12, 1-hr Avalanche Awareness for Snowmobilers, 6-7 p.m. at Yellowstone Motorsports, Bozeman.
December 13, 1-hr Avalanche Awareness, 6-7 p.m. at Play It Again Sports, Bozeman.
HELENA
December 12, 1-hr Avalanche Awareness, 6-7 p.m. at The Basecamp, Helena.
COOKE CITY
Every Friday and Saturday, Rescue Training and Snowpack Update. Friday 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Soda Butte Lodge. Saturday anytime between 10-2 @ Round Lake.
Check out our new “Avalanches and Snowpits” menu item where we list all the reported avalanche activity.