Uncategorized
Bridger Bowl's upper mountain closed Tuesday due to major avalanches
![Avatar photo](https://www.explorebigsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/megan-paulson-46x46.jpg)
![Avatar photo](https://www.explorebigsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/megan-paulson-46x46.jpg)
Published
12 years agoon
By Emily Stifler Explorebigsky.com Managing Editor
BRIDGER BOWL – Bridger Bowl closed all but the Powder Park lift today due to heavy new snow that pushed a weak snowpack past the breaking point.
An early morning explosive test caused a major wet slab avalanche in Sluice Box, a gully next to the Bridger Chair. That slide ran full path all the way to the beginner run below, tearing out mature timber on its way.
“We pulled back our control program at that point and just went for some pockets to see if we could open our Alpine lift terrain,” said Pete Maleski, Bridger’s snow safety director.
Ensuing control work on the Ridge affected only new snow above North Bowl; however when a team dropped in elevation to Bridger Gully—where the snow was “really rotten and wet”—an explosive placement caused an even more destructive avalanche, Maleski said.
It started as a loose soft slab but after running downhill several hundred feet, it initiated a larger avalanche that tore Bridger Gully out wall-to-wall at least five feet deep, taking with it the entire season’s snowpack. Running approximately 1,800 feet, the avalanche left a debris pile 20 feet deep where it ended, almost adjacent to the level of the Alpine lift bottom terminal.
The ski area had been closed the previous day because of excessively warm temperatures and avalanche activity out of bounds.
The Bridgers have been in a major avalanche cycle since an event on Saddle Peak a month ago. Since then, dozens of sizable natural and human triggered avalanches have been recorded, including just outside the ski area boundaries.
Like the Bridger Gully avalanche, most of the backcountry avalanches initiated at mid-elevations, and slid on a layer of facets left from October snow.
Monday night’s storm left eight inches of new snow on the mountain, with 1.5 inches of snow water equivalent (SWE). The two nights prior had been without freezing temps, and the snowpack was saturated all the way through, Maleski said.
“Our best guess it that water percolated off the rocks and lubed up the weak layer below.”
The patrol saw similar results in Slushman’s Ravine and D Route, to the south.
Bridger’s mountain manager Randy Elliot told Maleski this is the farthest he’s ever seen Bridger Gully run.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
![](https://www.explorebigsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ebs_logo_white_220px.png)
![](https://www.explorebigsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ebs_logo_white_220px.png)
Upcoming Events
july, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
CALL FOR ARTISTS: Paint anytime from June 1-28EXHIBITION & SALE: June 29 - July 31Calling all artists and nature enthusiasts! Get
more
Event Details
CALL FOR ARTISTS: Paint anytime from June 1-28
EXHIBITION & SALE: June 29 – July 31
Calling all artists and nature
enthusiasts! Get your paintbrushes ready for an unforgettable experience at
Paint Under the Big Sky, a thrilling plein air event set against the stunning
backdrop of Big Sky, MT, Chet Huntley’s “The Last Best Place”. Don’t
miss this chance to unleash your creativity and be part of a vibrant artistic community.
What is Paint Under the Big Sky? PUBS is a plein air event for all painters of any ability (over the age of 16). Sponsored by the Big Sky Artist’s Studio & Gallery and the Big Sky Artists Collective, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster a strong community of artists in the Big Sky area, the paint-out hopes to introduce painters to our extraordinary landscape for an opportunity to create, meet and have fun. Plein air painters record our landscape for generations to come.
Artists are invited to travel to Big
Sky, MT to paint anytime between Jun 1 – 28, and participate in the exhibition
and sale of paintings from June 29 – July 31.
Come join us! We have a great
place to paint and are welcoming and fun!
Don’t miss out!
Time
June 1 (Saturday) 1:00 am - July 31 (Wednesday) 11:55 pm
Event Details
Embrace the freedom and serenity of movement in nature with our rejuvenating morning yoga class on the Mountain Lawn. Allow the fresh mountain air and gentle guided yoga practice
Event Details
Embrace the freedom and
serenity of movement in nature with our rejuvenating morning yoga class on the
Mountain Lawn. Allow the fresh mountain air and gentle guided yoga practice to
invigorate your day of adventure ahead. Complimentary. Weather
permitting.
Time
June 1 (Saturday) 7:00 am - August 31 (Saturday) 7:00 am
Location
Montage Big Sky
995 Settlement Trail
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
June 10 (Monday) 6:00 pm - August 19 (Monday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
June 17 (Monday) 6:00 pm - August 26 (Monday) 6:00 pm