Trip Planning for Northern Gallatin

as of 5:00 am
May 20″ |
May 1 0″ |
Apr 30 5″ |
9982′     04/15 at 15:00
63.2℉
NW - 0mph
Gusts 3 mph
8100′     05/15 at 13:00
42℉
66″ Depth
Bottom Line: Spring weather can be highly variable and create a mix of avalanche problems to watch out for. Snow conditions and snow stability can change drastically from day to day or hour to hour. Anticipate rapid change and plan accordingly. Plenty of snowfall over the winter with more spring snow to come makes avalanches possible into summer.

Past 5 Days

Mon Apr 21

None
Fri Apr 25

None
Mon Apr 28

None
Fri May 2

None
Mon May 5

None

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 40
  • This wet loose avalanche is a great example of where they often occur. Rocks absorb extra heat from the sun and can quickly melt and destabilize the snow. Either move under areas like this early in the morning (as we did), or if you have to travel under them later in the day, move quickly.

  • 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

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

  • This Afternoon

    This Afternoon: Snow showers. Some thunder is also possible.  High near 39. Northwest wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

    High: 39 °F

    Snow Showers

  • Tonight

    Tonight: Snow showers likely, mainly before midnight. Some thunder is also possible.  Patchy fog before 3am, then patchy fog after 5am.  Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

    Low: 28 °F

    Snow Showers
    Likely then
    Chance Snow
    Showers and
    Patchy Fog

  • Friday

    Friday: A chance of snow showers between 1pm and 5pm, then rain and snow showers likely. Some thunder is also possible.  Patchy fog before 7am.  Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. West wind 3 to 7 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    High: 42 °F

    Patchy Fog
    then
    Rain/Snow
    Likely

  • Friday Night

    Friday Night: Rain and snow showers, becoming all snow after 8pm. Some thunder is also possible.  Low around 31. South southwest wind 3 to 6 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

    Low: 31 °F

    Rain/Snow
    then Chance
    Snow Showers

  • Saturday

    Saturday: A slight chance of snow showers before noon, then a chance of rain showers. Some thunder is also possible.  Partly sunny, with a high near 48. South wind around 7 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 50%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    High: 48 °F

    Slight Chance
    Snow Showers
    then Chance
    Showers

  • Saturday Night

    Saturday Night: Rain showers before midnight, then rain and snow showers likely. Some thunder is also possible.  Low around 36. East wind 6 to 8 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    Low: 36 °F

    Showers then
    Rain/Snow
    Likely

  • Sunday

    Sunday: Snow showers. Some thunder is also possible.  High near 38. South wind 6 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

    High: 38 °F

    Snow Showers

  • Sunday Night

    Sunday Night: Snow showers.  Cloudy, with a low around 30. West northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

    Low: 30 °F

    Snow Showers

  • Monday

    Monday: Snow showers likely, mainly before noon.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38.

    High: 38 °F

    Snow Showers
    Likely

The Last Word

We ended our 35th winter in operation after 141 forecasts and ZERO avalanche fatalities, the second winter in a row with no avalanche deaths. The last time this happened was 1988 and 1989. It’s been an incredible season. 

Thank you for all your support! 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.  Have a safe spring and summer!

05 / 2 / 25  <<  
 
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