22-23

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A snowstorm Tuesday night into Wednesday brought 8-11” of snow to the mountains near Cooke City, Big Sky and Bozeman, and 3-5” to the mountains around West Yellowstone. The new snow fell onto a weak surface of facets, and winds from the west to northwest transported the new snow into drifts where avalanches are possible. Yesterday, a skier was caught and carried in by a slide that broke 15’ wide and 8” deep in a drift formed on a steep slope in Bridger Gully. Thankfully, he was not buried or injured (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26929"><span><span><span><strong><span…;). Another group in the Bridger Range saw a small avalanche that was likely human-triggered near the Nose (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26923"><span><span><span><strong><span… and photos</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Skiers in the Bridger Range noted strong mid-elevation winds and watched as the snow was transported into slabs (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26918"><span><span><span><strong><span… and Photos 1</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.mtavalanche.com/node/26916"><span><span><span><strong><span…;, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26927"><span><span><span><strong><span…;). While the observations we received are Bridger Bowl-centric, the story applies across the advisory area.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Today, the primary concern is triggering avalanches in recent drifts of snow. Avoid steep, wind-loaded terrain and retreat if you observe recent avalanches or cracks shooting from your sled or feet.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A secondary concern is triggering wet-loose snow avalanches as temperatures climb above freezing under mostly sunny skies. Yesterday, a skier near Beehive Peak intentionally triggered a loose snow avalanche that grew large enough to bury or injure a skier where he noticed pinwheels and warming snow near rocks (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26926"><span><span><span><strong><span… and details</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Avoid slopes where the snow surface is getting wet or you see pin-wheels of snow.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Today, human-triggered avalanches are possible. Identify and avoid terrain features of concern by looking for signs of recent wind-loading and instability, like avalanches or shooting cracks. As a final step, dig a pit to test for instability. The danger is MODERATE.&nbsp;</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><stron…;, email (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

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<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Recent snow fell onto a weak surface of faceted snow and winds from the west to northwest transported snow into drifts where avalanches are possible. Avoid drifts of snow in steep terrain and retreat if you observe recent avalanches, or cracks shooting from your sled or feet. A rider earlier in the week noted cracks in the snow near the track of their sled on Reas Peak, an indicator of instability (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/22/wind-slabs-cracking-reas-peak-isl…;). </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>