24-25

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Large, human-triggered avalanches are likely today, especially on wind-loaded slopes. Yesterday’s heavy snowfall equaled 0.9”-1.4” snow water equivalent (SWE), and strong southwest winds drifted this snow into thicker slabs and rapidly added weight to a snowpack with buried weak layers.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>In the Bridger Range</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> heavy snowfall continued overnight and this morning, and danger will rise through the day. Avoid travel on and below slopes steeper than 30 degrees.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>You can easily trigger </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>wind slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> large enough to bury a person which break below thick drifts of yesterday’s snow, and you can trigger potentially larger </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>persistent slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> that break on weak layers deeper in the snowpack.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Near West Yellowstone and Island Park</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> avalanches were breaking on a sugary weak layer 1-2’ deep over the weekend. A snowmobiler triggered a slide in Cabin Creek yesterday (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/33083"><span><span><span><strong><span…;) and we saw a couple slides on Saturday on Lionhead Ridge (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/33108"><span><span><span><strong><span… and photo</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>).&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Near Cooke City the weak layers are slightly deeper and more stubborn (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6thCGML-1s&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvToI_ir…’s video from Saturday</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). However, yesterday skiers north of town had collapses (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/33110"><span><span><span><strong><span…;), and the snowpack cannot be trusted after the large amount of weight that was just added (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys3KrRPOWgs&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvToI_ir… video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Persistent slab avalanches can break hundreds of feet wide and can be triggered from lower angle terrain connected to slopes steeper than 30 degrees. Your safest choice is terrain that is less than 30 degrees steep, and not connected to or below anything steeper.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger is HIGH on wind-loaded slopes and CONSIDERABLE on other slopes near Cooke City, Island Park, West Yellowstone, the southern Madison and Gallatin Ranges and the Bridger Range.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Steady snowfall today will maintain dangerous avalanche conditions and make large, human-triggered avalanches likely. Near Big Sky and Hyalite got less snow yesterday with 6” = 0.6” SWE. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> that break within drifts that formed yesterday and today are the most likely hazard, and could be large enough to bury a person. The snowpack in these areas has buried weak layers that have shown minimal signs of instability lately (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/32650"><span><span><span><strong><span… media and observation</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>), but heavy snow continuing today will put the snowpack’s strength to the test and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>persistent slab avalanches </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>breaking on 1-3’ deep on buried weak layers are possible. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A conservative approach to backcountry travel is required. Practice conservative decision making today, and choose routes that avoid wind-loaded slopes steeper than 30 degrees. The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>