On a small test slope near Muddy Creek we intentionally triggered several small avalanches in wind-loaded terrain by knocking chunks of cornice off. Photo: GNFAC
Trip Planning for Northern Madison
Past 5 Days
Moderate
Considerable
Moderate
Moderate
Considerable
Relevant Avalanche Activity
SS-ACc
Coordinates: 45.1719, -111.3800
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
From obs: "On a small test slope near Muddy Creek we intentionally triggered several small avalanches in wind loaded terrain."
More Avalanche Details
SS-N-R1-D1
Aspect: E
Coordinates: 45.1719, -111.3800
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
From obs: "Behind McAtee Basin, we saw a small natural wind slab avalanche on an east facing slope, and we saw a natural wind slab in Bear Creek."
More Avalanche Details
Coordinates: 45.3187, -111.3840
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0
From Obs: "Had a pretty interesting collapse this afternoon while touring up the east ridge of Beehive. The slope I was on I measured at 30° at the highest, was below treeline but in a small meadow. The surface had melted and refroze. As I was touring across the small slope stomping to the to break the surface to set a better skin track the whole piece broke (150' wide by 50' down) together and moved down slope about 6". I quickly dug a little bit where it broke from the rest of the slope and it seamed to break near the ground, ~ 50cm and with the naked eye I could see large depth hoar crystals and little to no rounding.
While I do think it was simply a collapse I was very surprised this happened and the way this whole piece moved on such a low angle slope. I hadn't seen something like this before. Guess it lines up with just how weird this season has been.
~8560' west facing"
More Avalanche Details
Relevant Photos
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While riding we saw cracking forming near our sleds in fresh drifts: Photo: GNFAC
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Strong wind transporting snow at ridge tops. Photo: GNFAC
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We saw this recent avalanche near the Bear Creek wilderness boundary while riding on 03/24/2024. Photo: GNFAC
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We saw this natural avalanche on a wind-loaded slope behind McAtee Basin. Photo: GNFAC
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A rider triggered this avalanche in Taylor Fork on 3/16/24. "Avalanche broke about 400ft wide and slid for 250 ft. 4-2ft deep at the crown."
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Skiers saw a natural avalanche on east-facing terrain at 9500' in Beehive Basin. Photo: Anonymous
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Skiers triggered this slope by dropping a section of cornice onto the slope. This avalanche broke 500' wide, and ranged in depth from 18" or 6'. Photo: P. Hess
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Skiers triggered this slope by dropping a section of cornice onto the slope. This avalanche broke 500' wide, and ranged in depth from 18" or 6'. Photo: P. Hess
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Skiers triggered this slope by dropping a section of cornice onto the slope. This avalanche broke 500' wide, and ranged in depth from 18" or 6'. Photo: P. Hess
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Skiers triggered this slope by dropping a section of cornice onto the slope. This avalanche broke 500' wide, and ranged in depth from 18" or 6'. Photo: P. Hess
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From obs: "On a tour up Middle Peak, I saw recent avalanches, with large propagation in Middle Basin and Beehive Basin." Photo Anonymous
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From obs: "On a tour up Middle Peak, I saw recent avalanches, with large propagation in Middle Basin and Beehive Basin." Photo Anonymous
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From IG: "Buck ridge south of slatts hill, remote trigger by a snowmobile today"
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Skiers in Beehive Basin saw a natural avalanche on an east-facing slope. This avalanche likely happened in the last 24-48 hours. Photo: E. Heiman
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Skiers intentionally triggered a small avalanche near the prayer flags in Bear Basin. This slope has avalanched previously this season. Photo: J Alford
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Riders triggered this pair of avalanches while crossing below this terrain, roughly 150 yards away. The location of the triggers is marked by the "x's" in the photo. Photo: M. Rolfson
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Riders triggered this pair of avalanches while crossing below this terrain, roughly 150 yards away. Photo: M. Rolfson
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Rider on 02/23/2024 observed this large avalanche next to another avalanche they had triggered remotely. They likely triggered this one as well from afar while cross terrain below. Photo: M. Rolfson
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Riders on 02/23/2024 triggered this avalanche from 150 yards away while traversing below. Photo: M. Rolfson
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Riders on 02/23/2024 triggered this avalanche from 150 yards away while traversing below. Photo: M. Rolfson
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On 2/18/24 near Buck Ridge and Muddy Creek we saw at least eight recent avalanches that occurred at various times over the last 1-3 days, natural and/or remote triggered by riders. A group in the parking lot mentioned seeing many slides actively happen in this area on Friday 2/16. Most were 2-3' deep hard slabs, ranging from 50'-500' wide. Photo: GNFAC
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On 2/18/24 near Buck Ridge and Muddy Creek we saw at least eight recent avalanches that occurred at various times over the last 1-3 days, natural and/or remote triggered by riders. A group in the parking lot mentioned seeing many slides actively happen in this area on Friday 2/16. Most were 2-3' deep hard slabs, ranging from 50'-500' wide. Photo: GNFAC
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On 2/18/24 near Buck Ridge and Muddy Creek we saw at least eight recent avalanches that occurred at various times over the last 1-3 days, natural and/or remote triggered by riders. A group in the parking lot mentioned seeing many slides actively happen in this area on Friday 2/16. Most were 2-3' deep hard slabs, ranging from 50'-500' wide. Photo: GNFAC
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On 2/18/24 near Buck Ridge and Muddy Creek we saw at least eight recent avalanches that occurred at various times over the last 1-3 days, natural and/or remote triggered by riders. A group in the parking lot mentioned seeing many slides actively happen in this area on Friday 2/16. Most were 2-3' deep hard slabs, ranging from 50'-500' wide. Photo: GNFAC
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On 2/18/24 near Buck Ridge and Muddy Creek we saw at least eight recent avalanches that occurred at various times over the last 1-3 days, natural and/or remote triggered by riders. A group in the parking lot mentioned seeing many slides actively happen in this area on Friday 2/16. Most were 2-3' deep hard slabs, ranging from 50'-500' wide. Photo: GNFAC
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On 2/18/24 near Buck Ridge and Muddy Creek we saw at least eight recent avalanches that occurred at various times over the last 1-3 days, natural and/or remote triggered by riders. A group in the parking lot mentioned seeing many slides actively happen in this area on Friday 2/16. Most were 2-3' deep hard slabs, ranging from 50'-500' wide. Photo: GNFAC
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An avalanche we either triggered from 750-800 feet away or it broke naturally. This avalanche happened when we were riding near the larger of the two avalanches from yesterday, on the south side of Cedar Mtn. It was a wind-loaded slope, actively loading. The avalanche was ~130' wide with 100' of 4-12" deep new snow/wind slab and 30' wide broke almost 3 feet deep on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC
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An avalanche we either triggered from 750-800 feet away or it broke naturally. This avalanche happened when we were riding near the larger of the two avalanches from yesterday, on the south side of Cedar Mtn. It was a wind-loaded slope, actively loading. The avalanche was ~130' wide with 100' of 4-12" deep new snow/wind slab and 30' wide broke almost 3 feet deep on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC
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An avalanche we either triggered from 750-800 feet away or it broke naturally. This avalanche happened when we were riding near the larger of the two avalanches from yesterday, on the south side of Cedar Mtn. It was a wind-loaded slope, actively loading. The avalanche was ~130' wide with 100' of 4-12" deep new snow/wind slab and 30' wide broke almost 3 feet deep on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC
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An avalanche we either triggered from 750-800 feet away or it broke naturally. This avalanche happened when we were riding near the larger of the two avalanches from yesterday, on the south side of Cedar Mtn. It was a wind-loaded slope, actively loading. The avalanche was ~130' wide with 100' of 4-12" deep new snow/wind slab and 30' wide broke almost 3 feet deep on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC
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An avalanche we either triggered from 750-800 feet away or it broke naturally. This avalanche happened when we were riding near the larger of the two avalanches from yesterday, on the south side of Cedar Mtn. It was a wind-loaded slope, actively loading. The avalanche was ~130' wide with 100' of 4-12" deep new snow/wind slab and 30' wide broke almost 3 feet deep on weak snow near the ground. Photo: GNFAC
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This avalanche was triggered by riders from flat terrain far below on February 17. Photo: GNFAC
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From BSSP on 2/17/24: "Midafternoon we received another report of a skier triggered avalanche in the Lone Lake Circe, specifically The Mullet. The reporting party contacted several ski patrollers via cell phone and confirmed that nobody was injured or had taken the full ride. This avalanche failed near the ground on a high elevation NW facing slope with the weight of a single skier with an estimated size of HS-ASu-R3-D2.5-O."
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From BSSP on 2/17/24: "Midafternoon we received another report of a skier triggered avalanche in the Lone Lake Circe, specifically The Mullet. The reporting party contacted several ski patrollers via cell phone and confirmed that nobody was injured or had taken the full ride. This avalanche failed near the ground on a high elevation NW facing slope with the weight of a single skier with an estimated size of HS-ASu-R3-D2.5-O."
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Riders triggered this avalanche remotely on 02/17/2024 while riding near the Bear Creek wilderness boundary. Photo: Anonymous
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The debris and path of an avalanche that was triggered by snowmobilers remotely on 02/17/2024. The riders watched the avalanche from safe terrain and were not on the slope. Photo: Anonymous
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The crown of an avalanche that was triggered by snowmobilers remotely. The riders watched the avalanche from safe terrain and were not on the slope. Photo: Anonymous
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The crown of an avalanche that was triggered by snowmobilers remotely. The riders watched the avalanche from safe terrain and were not on the slope. Photo: Anonymous
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From instagram on 2/16/24: "Just getting to the ridge by prayer flags in Beehive basin. 100 maybe 200 yards wide. Cracked all the way around the corner almost to a couple old tracks. Seemed to be a natural from last night or this morning."
Photo: S. Knowles
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Weather Forecast Northern Madison
Extended Forecast for5 Miles NNW Big Sky MT
Winter Weather Advisory until March 28, 09:00pmClick here for hazard details and duration Winter Weather Advisory-
Winter Weather Advisory until March 28, 09:00pm
NOW until
9:00pm ThuWinter Weather Advisory
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Overnight
Chance Snow
Showers and
BreezyLow: 23 °F
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Thursday
Heavy Snow
and BreezyHigh: 30 °F
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Thursday
NightSnow Showers
Likely then
Slight Chance
SnowLow: 13 °F
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Friday
Partly Sunny
then Chance
Snow ShowersHigh: 27 °F
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Friday
NightChance Snow
ShowersLow: 14 °F
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Saturday
Chance Snow
ShowersHigh: 28 °F
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Saturday
NightChance Snow
ShowersLow: 16 °F
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Sunday
Snow Showers
LikelyHigh: 26 °F
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