21-22

From obs 2/27/22: "Skied Flanders mountain today. Dug a snowpit on a SE facing 24 deg slope at 9700 feet. ECTN24 30cm down on a layer of facets just under an ice crust. Snow above the ice crust was 4F- at most and not hard enough for anything to propagate. Winds were moderate and gusty, transporting a decent amount of snow but not really forming any slabs other than at the ridgeline. I triggered a shallow 2-3cm deep windslab about 20 feet wide just below the ridgeline. I was not on a steep slope, so it barely moved.... didn't see any other signs of instability." Photo: M. Lavery

Shooting cracks in a thin wind slab on a ridge crest. The slab was small but the collapse was abrupt and propagated 20 feet.

We saw this avalanche the afternoon of 2/27/22, on a north-northwest facing slope on Sheep Mtn. near Cooke City. It appeared less than 24 hours old and likely snowmobile triggered. Photo: GNFAC

We saw this avalanche the afternoon of 2/27/22, on a north facing slope on Sheep Mtn. near Cooke City. It appeared less than 24 hours old and likely snowmobile triggered. Photo: GNFAC