Trip Planning for Northern Madison

as of 5:00 am
Today0″ | 20-55 W
Dec 9 6″ | 10-30 NW
Dec 8 7″ | 15-54 W
9400′     12/10 at 14:00
22 ℉
SW - 13 mph, Gusts 19
0 " New
8880′     12/10 at 15:00
25℉
17″ Depth
Primary Problem: Persistent Weak Layer
Bottom Line: Yesterday was the third day in a row with reports of avalanches and widespread collapsing/whumphing of the snowpack. Across our forecast area the snowpack is unstable, and a person can easily trigger a dangerous avalanche. Slopes that had snow on the ground prior to last week’s new snow are the most dangerous, especially where recent strong winds also drifted snow into thicker slabs. Now is not the time to travel on or underneath slopes steeper than 30 degrees.

Past 5 Days

Mon Dec 4

None
Thu Dec 7

Moderate
Fri Dec 8

Considerable
Sat Dec 9

Considerable
Today

Considerable

Relevant Avalanche Activity

Northern Madison
Beehive Basin
Unstable in Beehive Basin
Incident details contain video
Beehive Basin
Elevation: 8,700
Aspect: SE
Coordinates: 45.3407, -111.3910
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

We skied into Beehive Basin today and found unstable snow. The bottom half of the 1.5' snowpack is weak, sugary facets that collapsed with audible "whumpfs" as we toured up. We dug at 8,700' on a SE aspect (a few hundred meters up valley of Tyler's slope) and the snowpit revealed a poor snow structure and instability. Even though some ranges have more snow, the set up is the same: weak, unstable snow underlying new snow. Avalanches, whumpfs and cracking are warning us to be careful throughout our entire forecast area.


More Avalanche Details
Northern Madison
Beehive Basin
Natural activity in Beehive Basin
Incident details include images
Beehive Basin
N
Coordinates: 45.3407, -111.3910
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

Skiers in Beehive basin observed a natural avalanche on Saturday 12/9


More Avalanche Details
Southern Madison
Kirkwood Ridge
Widespread Cracking and Collapsing
Incident details include images
Kirkwood Ridge
AS
Coordinates: 44.8692, -111.2390
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

Skiers in the Southern Madison, Lionhead, and Northern Madison areas experienced widespread cracking and collapsing on Saturday 12/9.


More Avalanche Details

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 15
  • Alex Marienthal found unstable snow in Beehive at 8,700' on a SE facing slope. Test scores were ECTP 12, 5, V. All breaks were on the large facets in the middle of the snowpack. We also had lots of whumpfs, which is the snow collapsing under our body weight, and a very bad sign. 

  • From IG: Natural activity in Beehive Basin

  • From IG: "Natural activity in Beehive Basin"

  • From obs: "Windier then I expected today at me d elevations adjacent to Bridger ... Photos show lots of wind transport during the day. Felt a few collapses while skinning."

  • Big Sky Ski Patrol intentionally ski cut an avalanche breaking on the weak snow near the ground during avalanche mitigation work on 12/8/23.

    From email: "[An avalanche] released on a ski cut, breaking on facets above a basal crust, easterly aspect, just below tree line."

    Photo: BSSP

  • From email:

    "While grooming the xc trails in Beaver Creek drainage last night, I observed extensive cracking and collapsing in the 12"+ of new snow.  Essentially every slope above the trail would fail as I approached them, some breaking up to 30' away.  I know it's not a good sign but was cool to watch.  

    7,5k'-7,9k' mostly North facing aspect.  

    Yesterday's addition here was right side up with the initial snow coming in very wet and heavy, while ending in a light fluffy topping which is now getting blown around.  Additional trace overnight and currently snowing again at 8am. " Photo: J. Gerardi

  • From email:

    "While grooming the xc trails in Beaver Creek drainage last night, I observed extensive cracking and collapsing in the 12"+ of new snow.  Essentially every slope above the trail would fail as I approached them, some breaking up to 30' away.  I know it's not a good sign but was cool to watch.  

    7,5k'-7,9k' mostly North facing aspect.  

    Yesterday's addition here was right side up with the initial snow coming in very wet and heavy, while ending in a light fluffy topping which is now getting blown around.  Additional trace overnight and currently snowing again at 8am. " Photo: J. Gerardi

  • Natural avalanche in closed terrain at Big Sky Ski Resort on 12/7/23. Photo: BSSP

    "A large natural slide came down from 3rd Fork, stepped down in the Elbow and again in the cone, and ran almost to the runout of Obsidian. Naturals came out of most of the Headwaters, with both Firehole and Hellroaring stepping down into old snow in the cones."

  • Big Sky Ski Patrol triggered hard slab avalanches during their avalanche mitigation work. Photo: BSSP

  • The south face of Lone Mountain (Big Sky Ski Resort) on November 30, 2023. Photo: GNFAC

  • Today (11/30/23) we looked at the snowpack in the northern Madison Range/Big Sky area. At 9,300' on a northeast aspect there was around a foot of snow (30-45cm) which is mostly weak layers of facets. When the mountains get more snow we expect avalanches to break on this weak snow. Photo: GNFAC

  • From IG: “Pine creek today, some small wind slabs and a full depth wet slide off black mountain”

  • From IG: “Pine creek today (10/21), some small wind slabs and a full depth wet slide off black mountain”

  • From obs. "Was out alpine climbing today and observed the north face of Blackmore had slid already."

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WebCams


8800' Camera, Lone Peak view

Yellowstone Club, Timberline Chair

Snowpit Profiles- Northern Madison

 

Select a snowpit on the map to view the profile image

Weather Forecast Northern Madison

Extended Forecast for

5 Miles NNW Big Sky MT

Winter Weather Advisory until December 10, 05:00pmClick here for hazard details and duration Winter Weather Advisory
  •  Winter Weather Advisory until December 10, 05:00pm

    NOW until
    5:00pm Sun

    Winter Weather Advisory

  • This
    Afternoon

    This Afternoon: Snow likely.  Cloudy, with a high near 23. West southwest wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

    Snow Likely

    High: 23 °F

  • Tonight

    Tonight: Snow likely, mainly before 11pm.  Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. West southwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

    Snow Likely
    then Chance
    Snow

    Low: 17 °F

  • Monday

    Monday: Snow likely, mainly between 9am and 3pm.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24. West southwest wind 6 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.  Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

    Snow Likely

    High: 24 °F

  • Monday
    Night

    Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 11. East northeast wind around 6 mph becoming south southwest after midnight.

    Mostly Cloudy

    Low: 11 °F

  • Tuesday

    Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 24. North wind around 6 mph becoming south southwest in the morning.

    Mostly Sunny

    High: 24 °F

  • Tuesday
    Night

    Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 10. South southwest wind 6 to 9 mph.

    Mostly Clear

    Low: 10 °F

  • Wednesday

    Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 28. South wind around 10 mph.

    Sunny

    High: 28 °F

  • Wednesday
    Night

    Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 14. South wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

    Mostly Clear

    Low: 14 °F

The Last Word

Listen to GNFAC Forecaster Dave Zinn on the Hoary Marmot Podcast for some extracurricular avalanche talk (link to episode).

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