Trip Planning for Northern Gallatin

as of 5:00 am
Today0″ | NA
Apr 22 3″ | NA
Apr 21 4″ | NA
9982′     04/15 at 15:00
63.2℉
NW - 0mph
Gusts 3 mph
8100′     04/23 at 10:00
39℉
70″ Depth
Primary Problem: Wind Slab
Bottom Line: Avalanche problems will involve recent new snow. Otherwise, the snowpack is generally stable and larger avalanches are unlikely. Be on the lookout for fresh drifts and avoid them, especially in consequential terrain. Monitor the snow surface for wet snow avalanche potential. If the new snow is becoming moist find lower angle terrain or shadier slopes with drier snow. Consider the consequences of being knocked over by a small slide. Daily forecasts are done for the season, but avalanches will continue. Remain diligent with your snowpack and terrain assessments, and be ready to adapt your plans to changing conditions.

Past 5 Days

Thu Apr 17

Moderate
Fri Apr 18

Moderate
Sat Apr 19

Moderate
Sun Apr 20

Low
Mon Apr 21

None

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 40
  • We went through Flanders' Creek to the Flanders Weather Station to pull it for the season. We descended to the Grotto Falls TH via the Winter Dance Route. The surface snow got wet as the day progressed, but we saw no wet snow avalanche activity. I wouldn't be surprised if there was limited activity as the day progressed.

    Recent warm temperatures have almost universally affected snow surfaces. North-facing slopes above 9500' elevation remain dry, and pockets of dry snow exist at lower elevations on shaded slopes. South-facing slopes have cycled a few times, and the corn snow is coming in reasonably well. 

    There were no signs of dry snow instability. Photo: GNFAC

  • The 12" of snow since yesterday fell right-side-up and had little to no slab properties. This new snow rests on a stout melt-freeze crust from the high temperatures last week. Photo: GNFAC

  • Understanding Avalanche Safety Preparedness – 5-Minute Survey for Motorized Users

    We need your input! Eastern Oregon University is conducting a survey to better understand avalanche safety preparedness among motorized backcountry users like you. Your feedback will help us learn more about who is purchasing and practicing with avalanche rescue gear (beacon, probe, shovel) and participating in avalanche education—and why some riders aren’t.  The survey is confidential and anonymous.  

    Your feedback is invaluable in improving avalanche education and awareness. Please take a moment to share your experience and help us make a difference.

    https://eoustmhs.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3L8QKAuZzcxJBLo

    Thank you for your time and for being a part of this important effort!

  • This small wind slab avalanche failed on Mt Blackmore on Sunday. Photo: C Rendeiro

     

  • Debris pile from a small wind slab avalanche on Mt Blackmore. Photo: C Rendeiro
     

     

  • From obs: "Multiple natural loose avalanches in the steep terrain of mt Blackmore. All originated at the base of cliffs or trees. Counted 4 prominent ones."

    Photo: M. Stern

  • Saw lots of small loose avalanches on Mt Blackmore and nearby slopes, some appeared to be natural and others skier triggered. We saw multiple dry loose on N and E aspects and a wet loose on a southeast aspect. Photo: H Meyers

  • Saw lots of small loose avalanches on Mt Blackmore and nearby slopes, some appeared to be natural and others skier triggered. We saw multiple dry loose on N and E aspects and a wet loose on a southeast aspect. Photo: H Meyers

  • "Toured up Flanders Creek to the main cirque. I was wondering what the snow surface was doing with the high pressure. I dug a pit on a NNW aspect at 8900'. HS 205cm, light SW wind, clear skies and air temp was 2.1 C at 4pm. Dust layer was down 60cm from the surface.

    I didn't get any propagating results in my pit and the snowpack was right side up. I did notice a strong temperature gradient in the top few centimeters of snow. I only found this on sheltered, shaded slopes with dry powdery snow. I did not find a strong temp gradient or facets in dense wind affected snow. Something to keep in mind if we get a big dump of snow in the near future." Photo: B. Oackes

  • Ridge line just west of divide peak in Hyalite canyon. Photo: O Silitch

  • Saw a fairly fresh avalanche up Hyalite from the top of the Fat and Skinny Maids, I think that would put the avalanche in the Storm Castle Creek basin. Photo: F Miller

  • Pictures of two cornice triggered avalanches way up the South Cottonwood drainage that was viewed from Alex Lowe. Looks to be in the recent days, around 9,000 feet North facing. Photo: S Lipsteuer

  • A massive cornice had cracked and was slowly making its way towards falling down. Cornice was around 50 feet long, and largely overhanging. Photo: S Lipsteuer

  • A massive cornice that has cracked and is slowly making its way towards falling down. Cornice was around 50 feet long, and largely overhanging. On the standard ascent of the East Ridge of Alex Lowe, the skin track usually travels below this cornice while ascending to the ridge. Photo S Lipsteuer

  • This older wet slide is a good example of what to look out for especially at low elevations.

  • This older wet slide is a good example of what to look out for especially at low elevations.

  • Cornice release above the headwaters of storm castle creek which triggered a slab, east facing aspect.  Looked to be several feet deep and ran a long way.

     

     

  • Cornice triggered slab avalanche, maybe wind slab. Hard to say.

     

     

  • Total snow depth on a NE aspect was 230 cm (7.5 ft). Right side up and strong. Dust layer from Feb 4th was 70 cm deep (28 inches) with no facets under it. 

  • Clean up on aisle hyalite!  Couple small wet slides between the retaining wall and practice rock, big enough to reduce the road to one lane. Photo: K. Marvinney

  • From obs.: "Saw a recent cornice triggered wind slab off of Hardscrabble Peak, crown looked fairly fresh. There was a second crown line below the rock band. Conditions were very windy, with snow still being transported. Most snow surfaces were wind affected, but saw no cracking or collapsing." Photo: F. Miller

  • From obs: "2/17 Immediately noticed signs of wind loading and wind slabs on NE-E aspects once in the basin. New cornices have formed in the last couple days along the North ridge to the summit. Cornice collapse on the summit triggered a small wind slab on an isolated slope." Photo: R. Rintala

  • From obs: "2/17 Immediately noticed signs of wind loading and wind slabs on NE-E aspects once in the basin. New cornices have formed in the last couple days along the North ridge to the summit. Cornice collapse on the summit triggered a small wind slab on an isolated slope." Photo: R. Rintala

  • SS-ASc-R1-D.5-I 

    310 Degrees  NW

    8129ft

     

    Photo: Tagg Cole

  • Storm slab avalanche between Blackmore and Elephant. Photo: Anonymous

  • Saw a small natural slide that started at the bottom of Cyptorchid. Crown was 10' wide and 8-18" deep, it ran 150' down a very shallow slope and covered the climbers trail. Photo: R Beck

  • Saw a small natural slide that started at the bottom of Cyptorchid. Crown was 10' wide and 8-18" deep, it ran 150' down a very shallow slope and covered the climbers trail. Photo: R Beck 

  • Triggered a small wind slab avalanche on the east face of mt Blackmore today at 9850 ft elevation. Around 5 inches thick, ~ 20 ft wide, and ran for 100 ft. Photo: I Masi

  • Triggered a small wind slab avalanche on the east face of mt Blackmore today at 9850 ft elevation. Around 5 inches thick, ~ 20 ft wide, and ran for 100 ft. Photo: I Masi

  • Cold temps and sunny days starting to create some surface hoar forming seen on the primary ridge of big Ellis. Surface hoar was less widely distributed on the primary ski zone but was present all along the top of the ridge. Photo: K Gordon 

  • I went skate skiing up Sourdough Canyon today. The trail intersects many south and southwest-facing avalanche terrains that generally do not have much snow coverage due to their exposure to the sun. 

    However, the snowpack is much deeper than normal in the Gallatin Valley and in the low-elevation mountains around the Valley, and these slopes make me nervous, especially because they would impact a trail that sees heavy use by people who do not intend to expose themselves to avalanches and who are not prepared for avalanche rescue. 

    Currently, 2.5 to 4 feet of snow is in the terrain near the trail. 

    Photo: GNFAC

     

  • I went skate skiing up Sourdough Canyon today. The trail intersects many south and southwest-facing avalanche terrains that generally do not have much snow coverage due to their exposure to the sun. 

    However, the snowpack is much deeper than normal in the Gallatin Valley and in the low-elevation mountains around the Valley, and these slopes make me nervous, especially because they would impact a trail that sees heavy use by people who do not intend to expose themselves to avalanches and who are not prepared for avalanche rescue. 

    Photo: GNFAC

     

  • At the base of G2 I triggered a 3 inch x 100 foot soft slab. Photo: D Chabot

  • Most notable test result was ECTP16 down 35 cm on a layer of surface hoar. Photo: E Heiman

  • Most notable test result was ECTP16 down 35 cm on a layer of surface hoar. Photo: E Heiman

  • Three to four inches of new snow from yesterday sat on top of the dust layer that got deposited across most of the forecast area on Monday and Tuesday. Photo: GNFAC

  • There was evidence of several R1-2/ D1-2 wind slab avalanches that likely ran this weekend on the east face of Blackmore. Photo: GNFAC

Videos- Northern Gallatin

WebCams


Bozeman Pass, Looking SE

Snowpit Profiles- Northern Gallatin

 

Select a snowpit on the map to view the profile image

Weather Forecast Northern Gallatin

Extended Forecast for

14 Miles SE Gallatin Gateway MT

  • Today

    Today: A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly after noon.  Cloudy, with a high near 37. North northeast wind 6 to 9 mph.  Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

    High: 37 °F

    Chance Snow
    Showers

  • Tonight

    Tonight: A chance of snow showers before 11pm, then a slight chance of snow showers after 3am.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. Northeast wind 6 to 10 mph becoming east southeast in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    Low: 26 °F

    Chance Snow
    Showers

  • Thursday

    Thursday: Snow showers likely, mainly after noon.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. East northeast wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

    High: 34 °F

    Snow Showers
    Likely

  • Thursday Night

    Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow showers before midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. East wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.  New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

    Low: 27 °F

    Chance Snow
    Showers then
    Mostly Cloudy

  • Friday

    Friday: A chance of snow showers after noon, mixing with rain after 3pm.  Partly sunny, with a high near 44. East northeast wind 7 to 9 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 40%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    High: 44 °F

    Partly Sunny
    then Chance
    Rain/Snow

  • Friday Night

    Friday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers before midnight.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. East wind around 10 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 40%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    Low: 32 °F

    Chance
    Rain/Snow
    then Mostly
    Cloudy

  • Saturday

    Saturday: A chance of snow showers after noon, mixing with rain after 3pm.  Partly sunny, with a high near 51. South wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 40%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    High: 51 °F

    Partly Sunny
    then Chance
    Rain/Snow

  • Saturday Night

    Saturday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers before 3am, then a chance of snow showers.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. South wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

    Low: 34 °F

    Chance
    Rain/Snow

  • Sunday

    Sunday: Snow showers, mainly after noon.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45.

    High: 45 °F

    Snow Showers

The Last Word

Thank you for another successful season. Our success is directly related to support from our community and the Forest Service. Thanks to the readers of the forecast, everyone that sent in observations, took an avalanche class, or donated money, time or gear. We will issue conditions updates on Mondays and Fridays through April.

04 / 20 / 25  <<  
 
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