Trip Planning for Cooke City Area

View Weather and Avalanche Log
24 Hour Snowfall and Wind
as of 5:00 am
Today1″ | 15-36 NW
Apr 17 9″ | 15-25 NW
Apr 16 0″ | 15-30 NW
Lulu Pass Weather Station
10020′     04/18 at 16:00
15.1℉
NW - 10mph
Gusts 20 mph
Fisher Creek SNOTEL Site
9100′     04/18 at 15:00
21℉
73″ Depth
Primary Problem: Wet Snow
Bottom Line: Daily forecasts are done for the season, but avalanches will continue. Remain diligent with your snowpack assessments and route-finding, and adapt your decision-making to changing conditions. On Monday and Tuesday, wet snow avalanches are likely. The snow is unstable on a spectrum, from when the upper few inches of the snowpack are wet and slushy to the entire snowpack being unsupportable. Avoid steep slopes and runout zones where these scenarios are present. Beginning Tuesday night, as snow returns to the area, watch for signs of instability within the new and wind-drifted snow, such as shooting cracks, and dig down until you find a supportable crust to test for instability above this level. Avoid steep slopes where you find instability.

Past 5 Days

Thu Apr 11

Considerable
Fri Apr 12

Considerable
Sat Apr 13

Considerable
Sun Apr 14

Considerable
Mon Apr 15

None

Relevant Avalanche Activity

Cooke City
Mount Abundance
Wet Slab Avalanche SE Shoulder of Mount Abundance
Incident details include images
Mount Abundance
WS-N-R3-D2-O
Aspect: SE
Coordinates: 45.0773, -110.0210
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

From obs on 04/17/2024: "Wet slab 150-200 ft across, SE shoulder of Abundance towards Wolverine. Looks to have maybe happened before new snow. New snow 6-8 was extra funky, 2-3 powder on a rain? crust on heavy wet. Bonded to unsupportive melt freeze on completely saturated glop. Lots of short running sluffs"


More Avalanche Details

Wet slab near Mount Abundance, 2

Wet slab near Mount Abundance, 1
Southern Madison
Quake Lake
Wet Slab Avalanche Above Quake Lake
Incident details include images
Quake Lake
WS-N-R2-D2-G
Coordinates: 44.8524, -111.3920
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

From IG: Wet slide to the ground above Quake Lake. 


More Avalanche Details

Wet slab above quake lake
Cooke City
Mt. Zimmer
Cornice collapse on Iceberg, Cooke City
Incident details include images
Mt. Zimmer
C-N
Aspect: NE
Coordinates: 45.1317, -109.8870
Caught: 0 ; Buried: 0

From obs: "Natural cornice failure and small slab on Iceberg Peak’s NE face. We skied by the day prior and judging by what the wind did to our tracks overnight, this looked like it happened in the morning."


More Avalanche Details

Iceberg Peak Cornice Fall

Relevant Photos

Displaying 1 - 40
  • Wet slab near Mount Abundance, 2

    Riders saw this wet slab avalanche on the SE shoulder of Mount Abundance. The avalanche likely happened a few days ago during prolonged above-freezing temperatures. Photo: R.

  • Wet slab near Mount Abundance, 1

    Riders saw this wet slab avalanche on the SE shoulder of Mount Abundance. The avalanche likely happened a few days ago during prolonged above-freezing temperatures. Photo: R.

  • Iceberg Peak Cornice Fall

    From obs: "Natural cornice failure and small slab on Iceberg Peak’s NE face. We skied by the day prior and judging by what the wind did to our tracks overnight, this looked like it happened in the morning." Photo A. Joy

  • The Fin from Cooke City

    A snowboarder saw this natural avalanche on the Fin from Cooke City. He estimated it happened between 10:30-1:30 and broke 2' deep. Photo: N. Mattes

  • Small skier triggered wind slab

    We triggered this small avalanche on a steep windloaded rollover on an otherwise mellow slope. This avalanche was 15-20' wide, 8" deep, and ran for about 30-40 vertical feet. The skier easily skied away from the slide and was not caught. Photo: GNFAC

  • Windslabs North of Cooke city

    From obs: "skiing north of cooke city today observed this Small windslab on a South facing slope ~9800 ft." G. Roe
     

     

  • Small Windslab Zimmer Creek

    Skiers triggered this small windslab while skinning near a steeprollover at the top of an East facing slope above Zimmer Creek. Crown was ~20 ft wide and ran a similar distance. 2"-10" at the deepest. Photo: G. Roe

  • Pine Martin Ridge Wind Slab Avalanches

    Skiers south of Cooke City saw a recent likely cornice-triggered avalanche on a northeast face. During their tour, they saw a small part of the same cornice fall off and trigger another small avalanche. Photo: B. Daley

     

  • Windslab on Town Hill

    A snowboarder intentionally triggered a wind-slab avalanche on Town Hill in Cooke City that broke 6-10” deep and approximately 30’ wide. It ran about 40 vertical feet. Photo: R. Youngbar

  • Natural dry slab crown Woody Ridge

    On the east side of Woody Ridge, skiers watched a wet, loose snow avalanche trigger a dry slab avalanche on March 17. photo: N Iltis

  • natural wet and dry combo avalanche Woody Ridge

    On the east side of Woody Ridge, skiers watched a wet, loose snow avalanche trigger a dry slab avalanche on March 17. photo: N Iltis

  • Wet Snow and Old Deep Slab Activity

    We saw no new deep slab avalanches in Cooke City since Alex was there last week. Unfortunately, if you triggered one, it would be no less deadly. This was a large deep slab avalanche on Sheep Mountain. Photo: GNFAC

  • Rollerballs and Loose snow Avalanche, Astral Lake

    Wet loose snow avalanche Astral Lake. Photo: GNFAC

  • Wet Loose Snow Avalanche Crown Butte

    A wet loose snow avalanche on Crown Butte. Photo: GNFAC

  • Big avalanche north of Miller Mtn.

    On 3/10/24 Between Miller and Wolverine there was a recent large avalanche that I would guess was triggered yesterday. 3-6' deep, 250-300' wide. Photo: GNFAC

  • Avalanche in Miller Crk (more recent)

    On 3/10/24 Low on Daisy Road along the steep creek walls we saw three recent 2' deep avalanches. each 70-100' wide. HS-R4-D2-O. This one looked within the last day or two and the other two were maybe 3-4 days old. Triggers unknown, there were various ages of sled/snowbike tracks nearby. Photo: GNFAC

  • Avalanche in Miller Crk (older crown)

    On 3/10/24 Low on Daisy Road along the steep creek walls we saw three recent 2'+ deep avalanches. each 70-100' wide. HS-R4-D2-O. This one maybe 3-4 days old. Triggers unknown, there were various ages of sled/snowbike tracks nearby. Photo: GNFAC

  • Natural on Republic - 9 Mar (zoomed in)

    A natural avalanche was witnessed on the north side of Republic Mtn. on 3/9 at 4:54pm. It appeared to break around 3 feet deep. Photo: screenshot from IG, M. Simone

  • Natural on Republic - 9 Mar

    A natural avalanche was witnessed on the north side of Republic Mtn. on 3/9 at 4:54pm. It appeared to break around 3 feet deep. Photo: screenshot from IG, M. Simone

  • Cooke City Avalanche 9

    E aspect, 9100' Photo: B. Fredlund 

     

  • Cooke City Avalanche 8

    N aspect, 9600' Photo: B. Fredlund

     

  • Cooke City Avalanche 7

    E aspect, 8800' Photo: B. Fredlund 

     

  • Cooke City Avalanche 5

    SE aspect, 8800' Photo: B. Fredlund 

     

  • Avalanches South of Cooke City, Pilot Creek

    Skiers saw a natural avalanche that likely happened late last week in Pilot Creek. The avalanche ran 1000 feet on a SE facing slope. Photo: J. Mundt

  • Avalanches South of Cooke City

    A natural avalanche in Woody Creek, right by the waterfall. D2, crown was up to 5 feet deep. NE facing. Photo: J. Mundt

  • Cooke City Avalanche 6

    E aspect, 9100'. Photo: B. Fredlund

     

     

  • Cooke City Avalanche 4

    E aspect, 8800'.  Photo: B. Fredlund

     

  • Cooke City Avalanche 3

    SE aspect, 9000'. Photo: B. Fredlund

     

     

  • Cooke City Avalanche 2

    NE aspect, 9300' Photo: B. Fredlund

     

  • Cooke City Avalanche 1

    E aspect, 8900'. Photo: B. Fredlund

     

  • Deep avalanche on Sheep mtn. from side

    On 3/9/24 there was a big avalanche on the northeast side of Sheep that was previously not reported. It was there this morning so maybe happened yesterday. 6-8'+ deep, 500' wide R4-D3-O. Photo: GNFAC

  • Deep avalanche on Sheep mtn. from below

    On 3/9/24 there was a big avalanche on the northeast side of Sheep that was previously not reported. It was there this morning so maybe happened yesterday. 6-8'+ deep, 500' wide R4-D3-O. Photo: GNFAC

  • Avalanches on Henderson, Older deep crown on Bench

    This morning (3/9/24) we saw previous avalanches on Henderson Mtn. in better light and got a photo of one on the lower Henderson Bench. Showing wide propagation through thick trees. Photo: GNFAC

  • Old deep slab on Henderson Bench

    On 03/08/2024 we observed widespread avalanches along Henderson Bench as well, below the steep break over in the trees, 3'+ deep breaking across multiple terrain features through thick trees, most of the bench slid, and appeared to have happened last weekend. Photo: GNFAC

     

  • Natural slab on Barronette

    On my drive to Cooke City I saw old slab avalanches in YNP near Mammoth and on Abiathar and Ampitheater among other places. These appeared to have happened earlier in the week. I also saw a more fresh looking persistent slab avalanche on Barronette, 2-3' deep and as wide as its terrain feature, 100-200' Photo: GNFAC

  • Small deep slab north side Scotch Bonnet

    We saw one small but deep slab on the north side of Scotch Bonnet on 03/08/2024 that likely happened today or late yesterday. 6' deep x 30' wide, R1-D1.5. Photo: GNFAC

  • Scotch Bonnet from toe - 8 Mar

    A recent avalanche on the south side of Scotch Bonnet happened today, 03/08, or yesterday. 4-6' deep and 300' wide. Photo: GNFAC

  • Scotch Bonnet Large crown from far - 8 Mar

    The crown of a recent avalanche on the south side of Scotch Bonnet that happened today, 03/08, or yesterday. 4-6' deep and 300' wide. Photo: GNFAC

  • Scotch Bonnet crown - 8 Mar

    The crown of a recent avalanche on the south side of Scotch Bonnet that happened today, 03/08, or yesterday. 4-6' deep and 300' wide. Photo: GNFAC

  • Scotch Bonnet debris - 8 Mar

    The debris from a recent avalanche on the south side of Scotch Bonnet that happened today, 03/08, or yesterday. 4-6' deep and 300' wide. Photo: GNFAC

Videos- Cooke City Area

WebCams


Soda Butte Lodge, looking West

Soda Butte Lodge, looking East

Snowpit Profiles- Cooke City Area

 

Select a snowpit on the map to view the profile image

Weather Stations- Cooke City Area

Big Sky

Weather Forecast Cooke City Area

Full Forecast, NOAA website
Extended Forecast for

2 Miles NNE Cooke City MT

  • This
    Afternoon

    This Afternoon: Scattered snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 29. West northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

    Scattered
    Snow Showers

    High: 29 °F

  • Tonight

    Tonight: Scattered snow showers before midnight, then isolated flurries between midnight and 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Wind chill values as low as -5. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east northeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

    Scattered
    Snow Showers
    then Mostly
    Cloudy

    Low: 7 °F

  • Friday

    Friday: A 30 percent chance of snow showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 29. Wind chill values as low as zero. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southwest in the morning. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

    Mostly Sunny
    then Chance
    Snow Showers

    High: 29 °F

  • Friday
    Night

    Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 9. Wind chill values as low as zero. East wind 6 to 10 mph.

    Partly Cloudy

    Low: 9 °F

  • Saturday

    Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 38. East wind 6 to 11 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

    Sunny

    High: 38 °F

  • Saturday
    Night

    Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22. Southwest wind 9 to 13 mph.

    Mostly Clear

    Low: 22 °F

  • Sunday

    Sunday: Snow likely, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 44. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 23 to 28 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 41 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

    Slight Chance
    Snow then
    Snow Likely

    High: 44 °F

  • Sunday
    Night

    Sunday Night: Snow likely, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. West southwest wind 24 to 29 mph decreasing to 11 to 16 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 44 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

    Snow Likely
    then Chance
    Snow

    Low: 22 °F

  • Monday

    Monday: A 40 percent chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 36. West wind 13 to 18 mph.

    Chance Snow

    High: 36 °F

The Last Word

We began our daily forecasts on December 7. 130 daily forecasts and 464 reported avalanches later, we wrapped up our daily forecasting season on April 14th. While avalanches remain a concern until the snow is in the rivers, read our SEASON SUMMARY to look back at the heart of the 2023-24 avalanche year.

Additionally, please join us in congratulating Doug Chabot on his retirement from the GNFAC after 29 years of forecasting and 25 years as the center’s director. Thank you for everything, Doug!

04 / 14 / 24  <<  
 
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