Skier Triggered and Carried by Avalanche in ‘The Great One’ Couloir, Northern Bridger Range, MT

A skier triggered and was carried by an avalanche in “The Great One” on Sacagawea Peak in the northern Bridger Range, the Friends of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center reported yesterday. The avalanche is the first skier-triggered slide in Montana of the 23/24 winter season.

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The wind slab slide was triggered roughly halfway down the couloir, where the right wall dips away, exposing the snow to wind. Hard consolidated snow over facets, roughly 1-1.5 ft thick, ran about 50-100 ft before pouring over the cliff faces below. The skier was carried 15-20 feet before self-arresting.

This is a good reminder that although the valley snow has melted, it’s been snowing and blowing up high, so be cautious if you’re seeking out the handful of spots with enough snow to eke out some turns. Those are the same spots where you could trigger a slide.

Sacagawea Peak is the highest mountain in the Bridger Range in southwestern Montana and is about 30 miles north of Bozeman.