Montana’s Bridger Bowl Resort is only running two lifts today after patroller set avalanches yesterday caused some of the biggest wet slab slides seen in years, according to a story on KTVQ.com.
“Avalanche cycles like this one are rare. It was only the second time in my 22 years of avalanche work that I’ve seen wet slab activity on this scale. Yesterday, the ski patrol triggered avalanches with explosives that gouged out groomed runs and road cuts plus put debris up to 20 foot deep in the gullies. New snow yesterday morning, above freezing temperatures, and a moist snowpack sitting on facets had stability teetering. Avalanches broke on soggy depth hoar at the ground. By midday explosives weren’t needed and the patrol ski triggered wet loose slides that would step down to the facets,” Chabot says in the report.
Nice of them to get that all done before they open the lifts back up.
[Link: KTVQ.com]
