Avalanche — Absarokee / Beartooth Mountains, Montana
December 31, 2011 · NOAA Storm Events record
Event narrative (NOAA)
Three snowmobilers ascended a steep, narrow drainage above Fisher Creek on Henderson Mountain outside of Cooke City. The drainage delivered the riders into steep, open terrain on the northeast face. The victim climbed to approximately 9,800 feet where he triggered the slide. He was able to turn downhill, but was caught as he descended the slope. His head was buried 2-3 feet deep and the heel of his boot was sticking out of the snow. He was found and uncovered in approximately 10-12 minutes, but did not survive. The crown of the avalanche ranged from 1-4 feet deep and 300-400 feet wide. The slide ran a total of 1,000 vertical feet. The slope angle at the trigger point was 35 degrees, but increased to 40 degrees near the upper portion of the crown. The alpha angle was 33 degrees. The debris
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Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.