22-23

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A fundamental change has occurred in the past week - there is now snow in the mountains and avalanche season has begun. Over the coming days it will become patchier as sunny and lower elevation slopes melt out, but on shady, high elevation slopes there are 2-4 ft of snow and we are starting to develop the foundations of the winter’s snowpack.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>We received reports of a couple avalanches during and after last weekend’s storm, including a large natural avalanche at Big Sky Resort, which is closed and currently has a snowpack similar to the backcountry (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/26695"><span><span><span><span><span><… Sky avalanche details</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Avalanches become less likely as we get away from the last snowfall, but can’t be forgotten about.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Throughout the fall, your safe options are either to completely avoid steep snow-covered slopes&nbsp; or to follow avalanche safety protocols by having a partner, backing out of steep terrain when signs of instability present themselves, traveling one at a time in terrain steeper than 30 degrees, and carrying rescue gear that you’ve practiced using (avalanche beacon, shovel, and probe). These rules apply regardless of the activity that you’re pursuing and apply even to crossing steep wind drifts while the surrounding terrain is bare ground..&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Early-season avalanches in southwest Montana have seriously injured and buried skiers (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/12/10/31"><span><span><span><stron… Incident Report</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>), caught and injured hunters (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/15/11/06"><span><span><span><stron… Incident Report</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>), and resulted in tragic fatalities (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/17/10/12"><span><span><span><stron… Incident Report</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Before heading out for the first time this season, do three things.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ol>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Assess the condition of your gear… it didn’t fix itself over the summer (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izkv4IIUmbk&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvSpq8Ps… to video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Practice your avalanche rescue with your friends and backcountry partners (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1xuaaSq4YU&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvSpq8Ps… drill video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Look at our avalanche </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/workshops/calendar"><span><span><span><stro… calendar</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> and plan to develop your skills further this year</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ol>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Your observations are more important than ever during the early season as we get to know this season’s snowpack. If you get out, please share avalanche, snowpack or weather observations via our </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="blank"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span><span>website</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, 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). NEW THIS YEAR is a </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/snow-observations-list"><span><span><span><… on the website</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> populated with your observations (you must opt-in for observations to be shared publicly).&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><br />
<span><span><span><span><span><span>We’ll be updating the </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/weather/wx-avalanche-log"><span><span><span… and Avalanche Log</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> daily and issuing pre-season bulletins as needed throughout the fall as conditions warrant. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>