Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Expected snowfall this morning heightens the avalanche danger. Human-triggered avalanches are possible, especially where westerly winds drift the new snow into thicker, dense slabs. Fresh drifts may be small with 2-5” of snow expected, but even small slides can push you off a cliff, into trees or into a confined gully where snow could pile deep enough to bury a person. On Thursday, a skier at Bridger was caught and carried more than a hundred feet in a slide of wind-drifted snow that was 15’ wide and 8” deep (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26929"><span><span><span><strong><span… and details</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Another group saw a small avalanche that was likely human-triggered (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26923"><span><span><span><strong><span… and photos</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Neither person was buried or injured.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>On many slopes, yesterday’s above freezing temperatures melted the snow surface which will refreeze as a crust and allow today’s fresh drifts to slide more easily. Skiers near Cooke City reported surface hoar that formed yesterday and may become a weak layer if preserved under today’s snow (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/22/surface-hoar-near-cooke-city-0"><…;). Avalanches could also break below snow that fell earlier this week (8-11” near Cooke City, Big Sky and Bozeman, 3-5” near West Yellowstone)(</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26935"><span><span><span><strong><span… from Lionhead</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>), and on high northerly slopes we have seen a few avalanches break on weak layers near the bottom of the snowpack (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26883"><span><span><span><strong><span… Peak avalanche</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26938"><span><span><span><strong><span… avalanche on deeper weak layers at Big Sky</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Before crossing or riding steep slopes, consider the consequences of being caught in any size avalanche, look for and avoid unstable fresh drifts, and dig down a couple feet to assess older weak layers. Today, new snow makes human-triggered avalanches possible and the avalanche danger is MODERATE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>If you get out, please share avalanche, snowpack or weather observations via our </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_obs"><span><span><span><stron…;, email (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>Human-triggered avalanches are possible, especially where westerly winds drift the new snow into thicker, dense slabs. Fresh drifts may be small with 2-5” of snow expected, but even small slides can push you off a cliff, into trees or into a confined gully where snow could pile deep enough to bury a person. Before crossing or riding steep slopes, consider the consequences of being caught in any size avalanche, look for and avoid unstable fresh drifts, and dig down a couple feet to assess older weak layers.</p>
Upcoming Avalanche Education and Events
Our education calendar is full of awareness lectures and field courses. Check it out: Events and Education Calendar.