18-19

<p>In the mountains near West Yellowstone and the southern Madison and Gallatin Ranges the lower half of the snowpack is weak, sugary facets. Eric found this weak snowpack last week near Bacon Rind in the southern Madison Range (<u><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NMgoDNKUQg&amp;t=0s&amp;list=PLXu5151n…;) and Doug saw it near West Yellowstone (<u><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ7fzq4X1-4&amp;index=2&amp;t=0s&amp;li…;). Recent snow and wind have formed unstable slabs of snow on top of this weak foundation. On Saturday, Skiers at Bacon Rind heard three “whumphs” when they collapsed the unstable snowpack in low angle meadows (<u><strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/19372">details</a></strong></u&gt;).</p>

<p>A few inches of snow this morning will get drifted into fresh slabs and add weight to the unstable snowpack. Slopes will be most unstable during new snow and wind loading. Be extra cautious of steep, freshly wind loaded slopes today. Avoid steep slopes if they have a thick slab of snow resting on weak, sugary facets. Today, avalanches are possible to trigger and avalanche danger is MODERATE.</p>

<p>The mountains near Bozeman, Big Sky and Cooke City have a 2-4’ deep and mostly stable snowpack. The exception is slopes where recent snow was drifted into thick slabs over a weak layer of facets or surface hoar buried 8-12” deep. Minimal recent snow and wind loading makes these slabs more difficult to trigger, but it remains possible. A few inches of new snow this morning will be drifted into fresh wind slabs that will be easy to trigger. These fresh slabs will likely be small and add relatively little stress to a generally strong snowpack.</p>

<p>Carefully assess wind loaded slopes today and consider the consequences of even small slides. Yesterday, Doug and I went to Saddle Peak and found a mostly strong snowpack, but there were hard wind slabs on the surface scattered around the mountain (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lO7K1Y-gOs&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvRNl9ku…;). Eric and my recent videos from near <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiERTNpw38&amp;index=1&amp;list=PLXu51… Sky</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u520iMxlXOQ&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvRNl9ku… City</a></strong> also show the main instabilities are in the top 8-12” of an otherwise generally strong snowpack. Today, it is possible to trigger small wind slabs and avalanches on facets 8-12” deep, and avalanches deeper than that are unlikely. Avalanche danger is MODERATE on wind loaded slopes and LOW on non-wind loaded 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>