18-19

<p>Since Thanksgiving, over a foot of snow (1+” <strong><a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/or/snow/?cid=nrcs142p2…;) fell with strong west to southwest winds. Folks saw a few natural avalanches up Hyalite (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/new-snow-avalanche-near-mt-blackm…;), and in the Bridger Range (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/19122">report</a></strong&gt;), while skiers in Bear Basin in the northern Madison Range triggered a wind slab that they captured on <strong><a href="https://youtu.be/q1aqN4N6Gww">video</a></strong&gt;. Avalanches were not widespread and were confined to the new snow. This matches our findings from the field which Alex describes in a <a href="https://youtu.be/CF0zmpxFeM8"><strong>video </strong>from Middle Basin</a> (north of Big Sky) as well as <strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/snowpits">snowpit profiles</a></strong> recently dug throughout our forecast area.</p>

<p>The underlying snowpack is generally strong and our primary concern is with today’s new snow. Snow and wind will create thick wind-drifts near the ridgelines which will be easily triggered. Recent avalanches or cracking (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/thin-slabs-cracking">photo</a></s…;) of this new snow are signs of a rising avalanche danger. Stay out of avalanche terrain if you witness these warnings. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The snowpack in the Lionhead area outside West Yellowstone is shallow, weak and unstable. Alex was there on Monday and found a 2’ deep snowpack that consisted of sugary grains of facets capped by 6” of new snow (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/shallow-weak-snowpack-lionhead">p…;). His <strong><a href="https://youtu.be/hl5lygIF7s4">video</a&gt; </strong>shows the crumbly nature of the facets and their inability to support much new snow. With today’s snowfall and wind a skier or rider can trigger an avalanche, especially at the ridgelines where wind-drifts will be thick and unstable.</p>

<p>New this season, we added hyperlinks to the <u><strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/weather/wx-avalanche-log">Weather and Avalanche Log</a></strong></u> and a new Menu item &lt;<u><strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/avalanche-activity">Avalanches and SnowPits</a></strong></u>&gt; with information on avalanche activity and incidents.</p>

<p>If you get out and have any avalanche or snowpack observations to share, contact us via our <u><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation">website</a></u&gt;, email (<u><a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com">mtavalanche@gmail.com</a></u&gt;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>