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Avalanches on east facing wind loaded slopes from 1/12 and 1/13. Photo: B. Zavora

Avalanche in Pebble Creek west of Cooke City. Looks to have been triggered by a Mtn. Goat over the weekend. Areas with a relatively shallow snowpack (3-5') have weaker snow and avalanches are easier to trigger on non-wind loaded and wind loaded slopes. Photo: B. Fredlund

This avalanche broke on a wind loaded slope on Saturday 1/13, after heavy snowfall and strong wind. Photo: E. Schock

Triggered by snowmobiler on 1/14. One other slide was observed nearby. Very dangerous, unstable avalanche conditions exist in the Lionead area and surrounding mountains. Photo: L. Read

This snowpit was dug near Lulu Pass on a NE aspect at 9700'. A very thin layer of surface hoar was detected in my stabiility tests. Although this layer did not propagate here (ECTN 23 and 25), I think it would if it had a larger load on it. This may be the layer that released on the Fin 2 days ago. Photo: GNFAC

These small surface hoar crystals are buried 55cm deep on a NE facing slope at 9700'. The layer is thin and undetectable to the eye. They were found during compression tests. Although this layer did not propagate in my snowpit (ECTN 25 and 23), with a wind-load they might. Photo: GNFAC

This wind-loaded slope near Lulu Pass released last night. The crown is marked. New snow and wind in the past days created some isolated instability at the higher elevations. Photo: GNFAC