Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion
<p>In the last 24 hours, the mountains received 4-7” of snow near Big Sky and Bozeman and 1-3” near West Yellowstone and Cooke City. Today, avoid small loose snow avalanches in all steep terrain and avalanches breaking wider as slabs where the wind loaded slopes with drifted snow before calming this morning. Even a small avalanche will drag a skier or rider through the rocks and result in trauma with our thin, early-season coverage.</p>
<p>As this and subsequent storms load the foundation of the snowpack, assess how the layers of snow develop and interact by watching your surroundings for signs of obvious instability and digging snowpits to test for less obvious instability. A snowy week begins on Friday and the avalanche danger will rise as new snow adds up.</p>
<p>If you get out, please share avalanche, snowpack and weather observations on our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_obs"><strong><span>website</s…;. If you choose to make them public, they will populate our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/snow-observations-list"><strong><span>NEW OBSERVATIONS PAGE</span></strong></a>. Check out the <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/snow-observations-list"><span>snowpack and avalanche observations</span></a> we received after the last storm, including a large natural avalanche in the Headwaters area of Big Sky Resort (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26695"><span>avalanche details</span></a>).</p>
<p>Regardless of whether you are hunting or seeking early-season powder, employ principles of safe travel when in steep snow-covered terrain by having a partner, avoiding steep terrain when signs of instability are present, exposing a maximum of one person at a time to slopes steeper than 30 degrees, and carrying rescue gear that you’ve practiced using (avalanche beacon, shovel, and probe). Early-season avalanches in southwest Montana have injured, buried and killed skiers, riders and hunters (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/12/10/31"><strong><span>2012 Report</span></strong></a>, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/15/11/06"><strong><span>2015 Report</span></strong></a>, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/17/10/12"><strong><span>2017 Report</span></strong></a>).</p>
<p>Beyond utilizing safe travel protocols, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izkv4IIUmbk&list=PLXu5151nmAvSpq8Ps… the condition of your gear</span></strong></a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1xuaaSq4YU&list=PLXu5151nmAvSpq8Ps… rescue techniques </span></strong></a>and take an avalanche class to further your skills (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/workshops/calendar"><strong><span>education calendar</span></strong></a>).</p>
<p><span>Your observations are more important than ever this time of year as we get to know this season’s snowpack. If you get out, please share avalanche, snowpack or weather observations via our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_obs"><strong><span>website</s…;, email (<a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com"><strong><span>mtavalanche@gmail.com</span…;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs). We’ll update the <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/weather/wx-avalanche-log"><strong><span>Wea… and Avalanche Log</span></strong></a> daily and issue pre-season bulletins as needed throughout the fall as conditions warrant. </span></p>
<p><span>The Centennial Mountains outside of Island Park received 5” of new snow. Assess how the layers of snow develop and interact by watching your surroundings for signs of obvious instability and digging snowpits to test for less obvious instability. Today, avoid small loose snow avalanches in all steep terrain and avalanches breaking wider as slabs where the wind loaded slopes with drifted snow before calming this morning. </span></p>
Upcoming Avalanche Education and Events
Our education calendar is full of awareness lectures and field courses. Check it out: Events and Education Calendar.