18-19

<p>When the snowpack talks, we need to listen. On Sunday and Monday there were two triggered avalanches in the Taylor Fork area of the southern Madison Range. One was skier triggered (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/skier-triggered-near-taylor-fork"…;, <strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/19716">details</a></strong&gt;) and another was triggered by a snowmobiler on Skyline Ridge (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/snomobiler-triggered-skyline">pho…;, <strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/19715">details</a></strong&gt;). Both were 2-3 feet deep and ran on weak facets at the ground and either could have been deadly. It has been 8 days since the last snowfall, yet avalanches are still being triggered. The snow structure is bad. Traveling off a beaten path means you’ll wallow in the unsupportable facets. I rode into Taylor Fork yesterday and no matter how many snowpits I dig this season, I’m always surprised at how weak the snow is (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y_F3uaJKvI&amp;t=0s&amp;list=PLXu5151n…;). Taylor Fork, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ6V8-Pdb3M&amp;t=0s&amp;list=PLXu5151n… Creek</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3LBdamYYvU&amp;t=0s&amp;list=PLXu5151n…;, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/19658">Bacon Rind</a>…they are all similarly shallow and weak. If Mother Nature talks (collapsing, cracking, avalanches), you should be a good boy and girl and listen to her advice to stay out of avalanche terrain. For today, since triggering avalanches is still possible, the avalanche danger is rated MODERATE on all slopes.</p>

<p>Triggering an avalanche in the northern mountains and around Cooke City is unlikely, but not impossible. It’s been a depressingly dry January (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/snowpack-graph-snotel-gnfac-area-…;) and without a new snow load it becomes more difficult to trigger slides. However, it would be imprudent to think all avalanche terrain is safe. A sledder triggered a small slide in Buck Ridge on Friday which Ian and Alex investigated (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/snowmobile-triggered-avalanche-mc…;, <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnA2ZhT8vzY&amp;t=0s&amp;list=PLXu5151n…;), and Eric had collapsing and cracking on Saturday north of Big Sky (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryd8fZKwVmo&amp;t=0s&amp;list=PLXu5151n…;). Sugary facets at the ground make for a poor and weak snow structure. These isolated signs of instability illustrate the lingering potential to trigger a slide. Anytime we find a dense slab of snow capping soft, airy facets, we take notice. A crack or collapse should be enough to turn us around. For today, the avalanche danger is rated LOW. It’s not a “turn your brain off” low, but a “pay attention” low.</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>