Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion
<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Avalanche Activity:</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Yesterday ski patrols easily triggered soft slab avalanches with ski cuts and explosives. In the Bridger Range where the most snow fell, those slides were much larger and ran surprising distances. Some of these slides broke at the new/old snow interface while others broke on soft layers within the new snow as Dave and Haylee found in the </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34814"><span><span><span><span><span><… Bridgers yesterday</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. A skier </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34816"><span><span><span><span><span><… Cooke City intentionally triggered a soft slab</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> on a steep north facing slope.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There are three avalanche problems to consider today:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind slabs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - The strongest winds happened yesterday morning. Fortunately winds overall have been pretty light. Along upper ridgelines and under cornices, light drifting has created pockets of thick new snow and soft wind slabs. These places will be the most likely spots to trigger an avalanche today, but they are also easy to avoid.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Storm slabs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - Since yesterday subtle layers in the new snow have been bonding to each other and to the old snow surface, thus reducing the odds of triggering a soft storm slab avalanche, but we can’t write this problem off just yet. </span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Dry loose avalanches or sluffs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - More snow falling today means there will be some sluffing in the steepest terrain. These types of avalanches typically start at your feet and are mostly a concern for skiers or snowboarders. Making a turn or two and stopping to let the sluff run ahead is one option. Read more </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/#dry-loose"><span><span><s…;
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<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Travel advice for today:</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>(1)</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Avoid places at the tops or sides of slopes where winds have drifted some snow making the powder more cohesive and more likely to avalanche. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>(2)</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Watch for any signs like shooting cracks that the new snow is unstable and consider doing some quick tests like Dave shows </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/FxgIax46oPc?feature=shared"><span><span><span><span><s… this video</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Jump on </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/#test-slope"><span><span><… test slopes</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> and walk/ride above other tracks to get a feel for how the new snow is bonded. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>(3)</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> If getting into steeper terrain where getting pushed downhill could be a problem, consider </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/#dry-loose"><span><span><s… to manage sluffing</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Today the avalanche danger is MODERATE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
