Trip Planning for Island Park

as of 5:00 am

Dec 10	1″ \| 5-25 N
Dec 9	1″ \| 5-30 N
Dec 8	1″ \| 20-61 NW

Sawtelle Peak

9885′ 12/12 at 5:00

12.3℉
W - 23mph
Gusts 31 mph

Sawtelle Snowfall

8750′ 12/12 at 05:24

27.4″ Depth
0.7″New

White Elephant SNOTEL

7710′ 12/12 at 05:00

21℉
19″ Depth

Full Forecast

Primary Problem: Wind Slab

Bottom Line: With 2-4 inches of new snow from Monday, the main places to trigger an avalanche will be isolated areas that received a little more snow or any slope with recent wind loading

Past 5 Days

Sat Dec 7

Low

Sun Dec 8

Moderate

Mon Dec 9

Moderate

Tue Dec 10

Low

Wed Dec 11

Low

Relevant Avalanche Activity

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 17

Shannon Working in a Snowpit

We are grateful for our partnership with the Friends of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. It is always a good time to get out in the field with our education coordinator, Shannon. Photo: GNFAC
Thin Snowpack in Black Canyon

The snow depth was 60-70 cm (2-2.5 feet) at the upper elevations of the Big Springs Loop around the Black Canyon area in Island Park. Photo: GNFAC
Buried Surface Hoar in Island Park

Surface hoar and near surface facets are now capped by this weekend's snow. The layers are buried 2-4" deep in the Black Canyon area of Island Park. Photo: GNFAC
E facing snow at 8100 ft Cabin Ck

WE facing snow at 8100 ft Cabin Ck
Cabin Creek snow cover

Cabin Creek snow cover
SE facing snow Cabin Creek

SE facing snow Cabin Creek
N facing snow Cabin Creek

N facing snow Cabin Creek, 9000 ft
Large Avalanche on facets triggered by Big Sky patrol

Big Sky Ski Patrol triggered this avalanche during mitigation work in The Wave on 11/26/24... "2-3' deep on an ice crust just above the ground with a 2# shot in the Upper rodeo. Volume was limited as most of the snow was loaded just underneath the cornice, but still produced a sizeable size 2... Other paths in the Lenin region ran meaty wind slabs, full track with no significant step downs." Photo: BSSP
Big Sky cracking of snowpack

Cracking on old, faceted, October snow hundreds of feet long. North facing near treeline. Photo: BSSP
Big Sky triggered avalanche

Intentional, human-triggered avalanche by a ski patrol breaking at the ground on a north facing slope near treeline. Photo: BSSP
Sawtelle snowpack

Sawtelle snowpack. Photo: GNFAC
Snowpit at Bridger

Snowpit at Bridger Bowl on 11/5. Photo: B. VandenBos
Cracking in recent hard wind slab

From e-mail: "Photo attached from near top of hyalite peak, 11/2. Cracking in recent hard wind slab, I had to really jump hard to make this. Walked on many other hard slabs that were well bonded. Highly variable snowpack. I think you'd be most likely to get into trouble by popping out a small hard slab pocket like this and getting magic carpeted into some thinly covered terrain." Photo: B. VandenBos
Minor Faceting in At Spanish Peaks Resort

From obs: "1-3 mm faceting in front of the Montage. Clear skys and mid 20 temps"
Fresh Snow in Big Sky

On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Yellowstone Club Webcam
Bridger Bowl Ridge Webcam

On October 17, rain turned to snow and blanketed the mountains of southwest Montana with a fresh coat of snow. Photo: Bridger Bowl Webcams
Powder Blast 2024 - October 25

The 26th annual fundraiser for the Friends of the GNFAC is October 25 at the Emerson Cultural Center. More info and tickets at: https://events.eventgroove.com/event/Powder-Blast-2024-101627