The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center is issuing an AVALANCHE WARNING for the mountains around Cooke City. Heavy snowfall is overloading pre-existing weaknesses in the snowpack and creating very dangerous avalanche conditions. Human-triggered and natural avalanches are likely. Avoid avalanche terrain and avalanche runout zones. The avalanche danger is HIGH on all slopes. This warning will expire or be updated by 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 4th, 2025. | Friends of the Gallatin National

January 1, 2026 - N. Gallatin Range Avalanche conditions have improved and stabilized significantly since the end of the last snowstorm. However, the snowpack structure remains weak with a foundation of sugary facets - a persistent weak layer. When it snows next, it won’t take much in the areas with a thinner snowpack to spike the danger back up. Until the next loading event (snowstorm), if you want to get into steeper terrain I would: 1. Dig, test, and back off if you discover unstable snow. AN

Mt Blackmore, N. Gallatin Range, Dec 14, 2025: Although there has been above freezing temperatures and wet snow at lower elevations, we found the snowpack up high is still cold and has weak, sugary persistent weak layers buried below a slab. Big avalanches can be triggered due to this snowpack structure. Go to www.mtavalanche.com for the full forecast | Friends of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center