18-19

<p>The snowpack in these areas is heavily loaded and remains under a significant amount of stress. Over the past week, the mountains near Cooke City, West Yellowstone, including the Sothern Madison and Gallatin Ranges - have received 4-6’ of snow totaling 4-7” of SWE. This is an insane amount of snow and water weight!</p>

<p>Every structure has a breaking point and the snowpack is no different (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXUCG2z6fYI&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvRNl9ku…;). Today, natural and human triggered avalanches are likely on all steep slopes. A large natural avalanche that crossed Hwy 287 near Quake Lake yesterday is a perfect example of what’s possible today (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/avalanche-across-road-quake-lake-…;). Slides will break deeper and run farther than expected. Under these conditions it’s very easy to get surprised.</p>

<p>Traveling in the backcountry today requires expert terrain management. It’s imperative that all backcountry travelers stay off and out from underneath all steep slopes (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/natural-avalanche-cooke-city-0">p…;). This includes small terrain features such as road cuts, roll overs and creek bottoms.</p>

<p>Today, very dangerous avalanche conditions exist and the avalanche danger is rated <strong>HIGH</strong>.</p>

<p>The mountains near Bozeman and Big Sky have picked up 2-3’ of snow totaling 2-3” of SWE over the past week. This hasn’t been quite enough load to create a widespread avalanche cycle, but is has pushed the snowpack near it’s breaking point.</p>

<p>Wind loaded slopes will be the most unstable and could fail naturally today (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1PHAN4n83A">video</a></strong&gt;). The avalanche fatality two days ago in the Bridger Range is a sad reminder of how unstable wind loaded slopes can be (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/avalanche-incidents">details, photos</a></strong>). A skier triggered slide two days ago on a wind loaded slope near Big Sky is also bull’s eye information wind loaded slopes are unstable (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/skier-triggered-slide-north-big-s…;) &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Non-wind loaded slopes are also getting pushed to a dangerous level by the heavy new snow. Yesterday, skiers on the Throne in the northern Bridgers observed recent avalanche activity in the new snow and got unstable test results on a weak interface a foot below the surface (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/natural-activity-thethrone">photo…;). Today, human triggered slides breaking 1-2’ in depth on non-wind loaded slopes are likely.</p>

<p>For this reason the avalanche danger is rated <strong>CONSIDERABLE</strong> on all slopes.</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>