Island Park / West Yellowstone Riding Conditions for 2023-2024
- Thread starter christopher
- Start date
S
sledheadmt
Member
Anyone been up Cabin Creek north of West yet? Hoping to head that way at the end of the week.
Rode there on the 6th, before the majority of the recent snow. It was pretty thin, and no base to what was there. The snotels on the north side of West Yellowstone didn't pick up much compared to everything further South and West.
MORE SNOW COMING!
I
inspectorgadget
Well-known member
Gear is loaded and the boys who are driving leave tomorrow with the rig. The flyers arrive Monday.
its coming down NOW and should snow all night long and just into the early morning.
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BLACK BEAR SNOW REPORT
52" SNOWPACK DEPTH
3" Snowmelt (Past 24 hours)70% of Normal Snowpack • 25% Water Content (SWE)
3" of snowmelt over the past 24 hours has receeded the total snowpack to 52.0". Black Bear sits in Montana at an elevation of 8,170ft, where the air temperature is about 27° right now. Weather today, Snow before 4pm, then a chance of snow after 5pm. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature falling to around 14 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as zero. West wind 13 to 15 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. 3" of snow accumulation expected by tomorrow, with up to 3" over the next 5 days.
Black Bear Mountain, located in the northern portion of the Olympic Mountains in Washington, experiences average annual snowfall of approximately 140 inches. The peak snowpack on this mountain averages around 80 inches. The mountain range is characterized by its moderate precipitation and heavy snowfall during the winter months, making it a popular spot for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts. Nearby ski resorts include Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area and Stevens Pass Mountain Resort. Climate trends in the region indicate a warming trend, potentially leading to decreased snowpack levels in the future. The hydrology of Black Bear Mountain feeds into several downstream rivers, including the Elwha and Dungeness rivers, as well as nearby reservoirs like Lake Sutherland. The snowpack on Black Bear Mountain is an essential source of freshwater for these vital ecosystems.
Realtime DataSnow ForecastHistorical DataNearby Ski Areas
| Geolocation | 44.52, -111.13 |
| Elevation | 8,170ft. |
| Last Updated | Jan. 17, 2024, 1 a.m. |
| Observed Snowpack | 52 inches |
| Percent of Normal | 70% |
| Snow Water Equivalent | 25% |
| Past 24hrs | -3.0 inches |
| 24hr Forecast | 2.95 inches |
| 120hr Forecast | 2.95 inches |
| Peak Snowpack | 187 inches |
Today, Snow before 4pm, then a chance of snow after 5pm. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature falling to around 14 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as zero. West wind 13 to 15 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Tomorrow, Snow before 4pm, then a chance of snow after 5pm. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature falling to around 14 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as zero. West wind 13 to 15 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
5-DAY FORECAST
- Thursday
22° Snow And Breezy Then Chance Snow
THURSDAY
22°
Snow, mainly before 11am. High near 22. Wind chill values as low as -10. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible. - Thursday Night
2° Chance Snow - Friday
27° Snow - Friday Night
20° Chance Snow - Saturday
33° Snow - Saturday Night
22° Snow - Sunday
29° Snow - Sunday Night
21° Snow Likely - Monday
31° Snow Likely - Monday Night
20° Chance Snow - Tuesday
31° Snow Likely
Note: I saw slides on saturday first hand in IP that washed right across main access trails...
Fremont County Emergency Management
HIGH AVALANCHE DANGERVery dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the mountains around Cooke City, West Yellowstone, and Island Park. Human-triggered avalanches breaking 1-2 feet deep are very likely, especially on slopes at upper elevations, near ridgelines, or commonly affected by wind.
Instability was obvious yesterday at Lionhead when the first steep slope Alex and I approached had already avalanched naturally, and we triggered a large collapse and shooting cracks (video). Last week in Cooke City, Ian and his partner remotely triggered an avalanche from hundreds of feet away (video), and Doug and his partner discussed similar conditions in Island Park (video). Avalanches, collapses, and cracks shooting long distances are the staples of all recent observations from Cooke City, Island Park, Lionhead Area, and the Southern Madison and Southern Gallatin Ranges.
Today, ride or ski in low-angle meadows and low-angle trees while avoiding travel on slopes steeper than 30 degrees or the flatter terrain immediately below.
The avalanche danger is HIGH on wind-loaded slopes and CONSIDERABLE on all others.
forecast for 6,500ft
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Forecast for 9,000ft
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Forecast for 9,000ft
...The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center in Bozeman has
ISSUED a BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING which is in effect until 6 AM MST Wednesday...
* WHAT...The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center is issuing
an avalanche warning. The avalanche danger is HIGH on all slopes. Natural and human-triggered slides are very likely.
* WHERE...The Centennial Mountains in Island Park, Idaho.
* WHEN...In effect from Tue 04:58 MST to Wed 06:00 MST.
* IMPACTS...New snow and an exceptionally weak snowpack are
creating unstable conditions over a wide area.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Backcountry travelers should
stay off steep slopes and away from the bottom of steep slopes.
Avalanches can be triggered from flat terrain. Steep slopes can
avalanche far above and run into lower-angled terrain.
https://www.mtavalanche.com/forecast/island-park for more detailed information.
Consult www.mtavalanche.com or www.avalanche.org for more
detailed information.
Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the
coverage area of this or any avalanche center.
Friends of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center
·1/24/24 - www.mtavalanche.com/forecast
We issued an Avalanche Warning for the second day in a row in Island Park because it keeps snowing. Avalanches can be triggered from hundreds of feet away. The avalanche danger is rated HIGH on all slopes.
Around Cooke City and West Yellowstone:
Incremental loading, an inch or two every day, is also not typically a problem, except this year. Collapsing, cracking and triggering slides from far away is as likely today as it was yesterday. The bottom 2-feet of the snowpack is garbage: sugary facets and a couple layers of surface hoar.
I recommend staying off slopes steeper than 30 degrees and be extra careful traveling under slopes.
The avalanche danger is HIGH on previously wind-loaded slopes and CONSIDERABLE on all others.
Around Bozeman and Big Sky:
Triggering avalanches 1-2 feet deep are likely in the mountains around Bozeman and Big Sky. Avalanches can be triggered from far away and we recommend being extra careful getting on or under avalanche terrain. If you go into avalanche terrain it’s likely you’ll trigger a slide today. Consequently, the avalanche danger is rated CONSIDERABLE.
