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so far this storm is livin up to the hype. Couldn't even make the turnoff from pony to get to TH. snotel readin ~4ft. Goin to do some real scoutin tommorow, will report back

I backpacked seventy miles from Cooke City northward to McLeod (south of Big Timber) in the Absarokas last week. Snow accumulations above 6000 feet were getting to be knee-high and the snow continued at least one day after I left. The snow pack was fracturing on 25 deg + slopes and we opted against crossing the Absaroka Divide due to high winds which were clearly going to begin to form slabs.

Closer to home in the Bridger range, temperatures in Bozeman are climbing and I estimate the air temp and ground temps will come together to stabilize our base snowpack throughout the region. Current SNOTEL conditions are showing the snowpack settling (Brackett Creek, Bridger Range) with air temperatures above freezing.

I am new to snow science so please assume your own responsibility in interpreting this data.

that sounds like a sweet trip sam. I love the absarokas(especially northern area). if you don't mind me asking what was your route roughly. I assume you were getting quite a bit of wind loading with the new snow. btw, there was anywhere from 12 to 36 inches in the spanish peaks areas on sunday.

I've only been living in Bozeman for about three months but I've been into the Absarokas a couple times already. This was my biggest trip there, basically covering it in its entirety from South to North.

The route:


And a photo of me climbing a snowy granite couloir about twelve hours into the storm: