22-23

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>6-10” of new snow and southwest winds redepositing that new snow are stressing buried weak layers and make for dangerous avalanche conditions today. Yesterday, Alex and his partner triggered an avalanche that broke 3-6 ft deep while crossing beneath a steep slope near Lulu Pass, outside Cooke City (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sKzKPXI1dM"><span><span><span><strong>…;). The slide broke 500 ft above them. It caught and carried his partner, but luckily did not bury him. This was only the latest in a string of large natural and human triggered avalanches over the last week (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8CtHy3efxs"><span><span><span><strong>… Pass video</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.youtube.com/watch?v=35NYGUBLhbg&amp;t=5s"><span><span><span… avalanche video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><strong><span><span>, </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/27113"><span><span><span><strong><span… photo and details</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Avoid steep slopes today and give them a wide berth if you’re crossing beneath them. The weak snow buried 2-3 ft deep is widespread and won’t handle this loading well. Today is not the day to try and outsmart the avalanche hazard. Stick to low angle slopes and enjoy the fresh snow. Human triggered avalanches are likely and the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There is less new snow around Bozeman and Big Sky and wind loaded slopes are the primary concern today. Yesterday, Doug dug in a gully in Hyalite and found a 10” deep wind slab sitting over a thin weak layer (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRbw4FFs4i0"><span><span><span><span><s… gullies video</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Not every slope will have this combination, but be on the lookout for wind drifts and check to see how they are bonded before getting onto steep slopes. Cracks shooting out in front of you mean you’ve found one of these unstable drifts and should back out of avalanche terrain. The avalanche on Ross Peak earlier this week that broke 6” deep and caught and carried two skiers 600 vertical feet is a good reminder of the power of even a relatively shallow slide (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/27091"><span><span><span><strong><span… and details</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). 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><span>…; </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span><span>website</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, email (</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>mtavalanche@gmail.com</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Heavy snowfall and strong winds redepositing that new snow make for dangerous avalanche conditions today. Yesterday, Dave and I found up to 18” of new snow while riding in Yale Creek and drifts up to 4 ft deep (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06pszOXXgOQ"><span><span><span><strong>… video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). We also confirmed that the weak layers we’ve been seeing in Lionhead are also present here (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/27153"><span><span><span><strong><span… field observations</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Avoid steep slopes today and give them a wide berth if you’re crossing beneath them. Today is not the day to try and outsmart the avalanche hazard. Stick to low angle slopes and enjoy the fresh snow. Human triggered avalanches are likely.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>