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<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A person can trigger a large, dangerous avalanche that breaks on weak snow in the lower half of the 1-3 foot deep snowpack. These avalanches can break wide, and can be triggered on slopes steeper than 30 degrees or from lower angle terrain that is connected to steep slopes.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>On Friday at Big Sky, ski patrol reported two avalanches thought to be naturally triggered during the day, and yesterday they confirmed at least one was triggered by a mountain goat. Based on the goat’s tracks, it was carried over 1000’ vertical and walked away from the debris apparently uninjured (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29552"><span><span><span><strong><span…; </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/23/natural-avalanches-closed-terrain…;). Additionally, over the last three days we continued to receive reports of collapsing and whumphing of the snowpack, a clear sign avalanches can be triggered on steeper slopes. This red flag was experienced by skiers in the Bridger Range (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29561"><span><span><span><strong><span…;), Cooke City (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29555"><span><span><span><strong><span…;, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29539"><span><span><span><strong><span…;), Lionhead (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29563"><span><span><span><strong><span…;), and Beehive Basin (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29538"><span><span><span><strong><span…;).&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The poor snowpack structure is responsible for a long list of avalanches over the last week and a half (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/avalanche-activity"><span><span><span><stro… log</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>), both natural and human-triggered. On Friday Ian saw a couple recent natural avalanches at Lionhead which he discusses in a </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhmeSvFN4hI"><span><span><span><strong>…; (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29546"><span><span><span><strong><span…;). On Tuesday a skier triggered a large avalanche on Mt. Blackmore in Hyalite, and he generously shared a video from his POV (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff4qS1aF9Fs"><span><span><span><strong>…;). These videos are good examples of the type of avalanche you could trigger today.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The snowpack is slowly becoming more stable since the last storm, but recent avalanches and collapsing of the snowpack are warnings that dangerous human-triggered avalanches are possible. Choose terrain carefully. Consider the consequences of an avalanche if you travel on or below slopes steeper than 30 degrees, and thoughtfully evaluate the snowpack for the potential of an avalanche. Clear signs that you should stay off steep slopes include cracking, collapsing, recent avalanches, or poor stability test scores.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Heightened avalanche conditions exist, human-triggered avalanches are possible, and the avalanche danger is rated MODERATE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>