Photos

Skiers triggered a small wind slab avalanche while skinning near the top of Pair Of Chutes in the Playground. The slab was about 1 foot thick, fist hardness, propagated 20 feet wide and ran 50 feet before breaking up and arresting. Photo: J. Taylor

On January 26 we saw a handful (4-6?) of old wind slab avalanches of various ages. The most recent and largest appearing, but still not very fresh, was on the north side of Scotch Bonnet (attached photo). Most were D1-D1.5, the slide pictured was D1.5-2. Photo: GNFAC

While touring today, we saw a deep slab avalanche at the southern end of the Hayden Creek drainage. NE aspect. It seemed to be recent, likely in the last day or so. Photo: N Mattes

Very touchy storm slabs formed throughout the day. 6-8” deep by 3pm. low density snow/slab but very fast moving.Photo: R Griffiths

Very touchy storm slabs formed throughout the day. 6-8” deep by 3pm. low density snow/slab but very fast moving. Photo: R Griffiths

Jan 24, Buck Ridge... We dug on an E facing slope at 9,400'. Snow depth was 155cm (5 feet) and we had an ECTN12 on the surface hoar layer 10" down. Photo GNFAC

1 meter deep snowpack showing the obvious facets in the bottom third

Winds have worked over many slopes near the Throne. We found some slopes stripped nearly to dirt with the snow blown off to who knows where, and others had wind-sculpted sastrugi. Trees were broken off, and debris littered the snow surface. Photo: GNFAC

Today, we traveled into the Maid of the Mist basin and up and along the Palace Butte ridgeline.  Although temperatures have warmed up significantly since the weekend, strong winds kept conditions frigid. Winds blew plumes of snow off the high peaks and at ridgelines, gusting 50-60 mph. Photo: GNFAC

Winds blew plumes of snow off the high peaks and at ridgelines, gusting 50-60 mph. Photo: GNFAC

Winds blew plumes of snow off the high peaks and at ridgelines, gusting 50-60 mph. Photo: GNFAC

Wind slab avalanche on E Henderson North of the large slide path close to Fisher Pk. R1 D2,1-2' deep, 200' wide. It broke aprx 200' below the summit mid slope. It looked like it broke on the 19th. Photo: BPG

From Obs. "Wind was swirling in Maid of the Mist yesterday, mostly upslope winds that were transporting snow, but inconsistently and were difficult to predict where they were loading. We did not find widespread wind loading, but did get a very small windslab to release just below the top of the ridge (max 3-4" thickness, see image)." Photo: C. Avis

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked…"

Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked...”

Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

We triggered a small soft slab avalanche on a south facing aspect around 7800'. This avalanche broke in a wind drift, 4" deep in low density new snow, likely on a sun crust or near-surface facets. Photo: GNFAC

We triggered a small soft slab avalanche on a south facing aspect around 7800'. This avalanche broke in a wind drift, 4" deep in low density new snow, likely on a sun crust or near-surface facets. Photo: GNFAC