GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Mon Apr 14, 2025
This is Dave Zinn with the avalanche forecast on Monday, April 14th, at 6:00 a.m. sponsored by Bozeman Splitfest, Beartooth Powder Guides and Gallatin Valley Snowmobile Association. This forecast does not apply to operating ski areas.
***Bridger Bowl Ski Area is closed for the season, and uphill travel is allowed beginning at 9 AM this morning. Please give employees and machinery plenty of room as they work on the mountain. Backcountry conditions will develop as spring storms impact the range. There are no ski patrol services, avalanche mitigation or terrain closures as conditions evolve. Call 911 for any incidents requiring outside assistance.
This morning, temperatures are in the teens to low 20s F with light winds blowing 5-15 mph from the west and the north. The Bridger and northern Gallatin Ranges picked up 2” of additional snow yesterday morning before the weekend’s storm moved out of the area.
Today and tomorrow will have similar weather, with clear skies, above-average temperatures, and dry conditions. Today, temperatures will be in the 40s to 50 degrees F, with 5-10 mph winds from the northwest shifting to the southwest.
Later this week, an upper-level trough will move south from Canada, bringing colder temperatures and snow to Southwest Montana and Island Park late Wednesday through Thursday. This will be followed by a weekend warm-up and another storm early next week.
Today, the 10” of recent snow in Cooke City will get hit by above-freezing temperatures and the powerful April sun for the first time. Natural and human-triggered wet loose avalanches are likely on steep slopes facing the southern half of the compass rose. These will start narrowly at a point and spread as they entrain this weekend’s snow. Rocks and cliff bands are common areas for these slides to start, and the underlying crusts make for slick sliding surfaces. These avalanches are most dangerous in steep and confined terrain where they don’t have room to spread out. Move to shadier and cooler north-facing aspects before the day’s warmth melts the surface snow. Cinnamon roll-like roller balls and small wet snow avalanches indicate that slopes are destabilizing rapidly.
Yesterday, ski guides in Cooke City noted numerous natural wind slab avalanches running long distances (observation). Strong winds during the weekend’s storm drifted snow into slabs two feet thick. Wind-loaded slopes are stabilizing, but some will still release under the weight of a skier or rider. Find better snow quality and safer conditions by looking for more sheltered terrain and avoiding the most heavily wind-loaded slopes below cornices.
Assess the stability of recent snow before considering skiing and riding steep terrain by watching for a moistening of the snow surface, obvious signs of instability and performing a quick extended column test down to the crust buried one to two feet deep.
The danger in Cooke City is MODERATE for dry snow avalanches and will rise to CONSIDERABLE for wet snow slides.
Cold temperatures refroze the snowpack and will delay the onset of wet snow instability in the Bridger, Gallatin, Madison, Lionhead and Centennial Ranges. As the day warms and the sun hits this weekend’s snow, there will be a few small wet loose avalanches, especially on rocky, south-facing slopes. With only a few inches of recent snow, these avalanches will only be a problem in very steep or extreme terrain where they could sweep a skier or rider off their feet, into obstacles and terrain traps. Redirect to cooler, northerly aspects if you observe pinwheels and small wet slides. Wet loose avalanches will be more significant in isolated areas in the upper reaches of the Northern Gallatin Range (Shower Falls SNOTEL), where more snow fell in the last few days.
Outside of very steep and extreme slopes with southern aspects, the snowpack is generally stable, and avalanches are unlikely. The avalanche danger is LOW.
If you encounter an error with our observation submission platform, please email your observations to mtavalanche@gmail.com
Hyalite Road Closure
The Hyalite Canyon Road is closed to ALL MOTORIZED VEHICLES until May 16. This is a regular annual road closure to reduce road damage during the spring thaw. Bicycle and foot traffic are allowed. Contact the Bozeman FS Ranger District for more info.
Our last daily avalanche forecast will be Sunday, April 20th. We will issue updates on Mondays and Fridays through the end of April.