Yellowstone Ski Tours

Snowpit by Aaron LaMont.

Snowpit by Bianca Germain. Snowpit location was in a somewhat sheltered/ treed alleyway. We turned around about 200' vert below the ridgeline, due to widespread recent avalanche activity, and an ECTP's on buried SH about 25cms below the snow surface.

Snowpit by Claude Boiteau. It appeared that the surface slab was much more cohesive today, due to warmer temps, than a couple days ago.. We experienced widespread collapsing in thinner snowpack areas, and along the mid elevation ridgelines where there was more wind affect/ 1F surface slab.

We observed a few recent avalanches on the SE aspects of Barronette Peak, which all looked to be about 3 days old. Also, we investigated a recent (remote?) triggered slide on a NE aspect of the State Line Meadows. All recent avalanche activity involved just new snow and had crowns in the 20-40 cm deep range. We also had on small collapse on a flat wind loaded spot near the ridgeline.

Localized cracking of the fresh wind drifts over SH. We also observed a fresh avalanche on the NW aspect of Meridian Peak. It looked to be 24-48 hours old, and involve relatively large amounts of snow- though we couldn't quite see a crown due to our vantage point.

Very thin layer of NSF's at new/ old snow interface at 91cms. (.5mm facets) Significant wind transportation of new snow on exposed/localized ridgeline locations, from W, NW winds. Observed one recent wind slab avalanche on north aspect of Hyalite Peak.

I think there is about 45cms settled new snow here from the Jan. 5-8 storm cycle.