GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Feb 10, 2023
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>You could trigger an avalanche today beneath a wind drift or deeper on a variety of weak layers buried throughout the snowpack. Yesterday, riders in Tepee Creek triggered an avalanche that broke a foot deep and ~150 ft wide, a clear reminder that the potential to trigger a slide remains (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/28079"><span><span><span><strong><span…;). </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Strong winds drifted the snow that fell earlier this week. The wind drifts themselves have now had a little time to bond and triggering an avalanche without additional weak layers is becoming less likely. Unfortunately, on many slopes new persistent weak layers were buried just beneath these drifts and these layers will stabilize much more slowly. There are also other weak layers throughout the snowpack that continue to break in stability tests (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uVGnUshKhY"><span><span><span><strong>… video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Persistent weak layers have been more stressed and are more likely to avalanche on windloaded slopes. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Avoid wind drifts to avoid the likeliest places to trigger avalanches (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/XTrscbqcELU"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>… Ridge video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). The deeper the drift, the more likely you are to trigger a slide. Watch for cracks shooting out in front of you as a clear sign you’ve found an unstable drift. Don’t take any of this to mean non-windloaded slopes are completely safe - the potential to trigger a slide still needs to be evaluated carefully. Dig down and test the weak layers in the upper 3-4 ft of the snowpack before riding any steep slopes.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There may be some small wet loose slides on the warmest, sunniest slopes this afternoon but they’ll just be a few inches deep and won’t be much of a hazard. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger is rated MODERATE across the advisory area.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Please share avalanche, snowpack or weather observations via our</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_obs"><span><span><span><span>…; </span></span></span></span></span></span><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><span><span><span><strong><span><span>mtavalanche@gmail.com</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs). </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p>In Island Park, you could trigger an avalanche today beneath a wind drift or deeper on a variety of weak layers buried throughout the snowpack. Avoid wind drifts to avoid the likeliest places to trigger avalanches. The deeper the drift, the more likely you are to trigger a slide Watch for cracks shooting out in front of you as a clear sign you’ve found an unstable drift. Dig down and test the weak layers in the upper 3-4 ft of the snowpack before riding any steep slopes.</p>
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On our 3rd lap on the North Side Burn in Sheep Creek, we traveled up the ridge to take a look at the steeper terrain to the west along the ridge. From our protected vantage point, we could see a recent wind slab that appeared to release naturally some in the past 24 hours. The crown was obscured, but I would code the avalanche as SS-N-R1-D1-S. The avalanche was approximately 3-6" deep, 25' wide, and ran for ~60'.
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Feb 10, 2023GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sat Feb 11, 2023
Very Small Wind Slab in Sheep Creek
On our 3rd lap on the North Side Burn in Sheep Creek, we traveled up the ridge to take a look at the steeper terrain to the west along the ridge. From our protected vantage point, we could see a recent wind slab that appeared to release naturally some in the past 24 hours. The crown was obscured, but I would code the avalanche as SS-N-R1-D1-S. The avalanche was approximately 3-6" deep, 25' wide, and ran for ~60'.
Small Snowmobile Triggered Slide in Tepee Creek
This afternoon my group of 4 was riding up out of Tepee Creek heading towards Cabin Creek and I set off this small slide on a northeast facing slope as I was coming down it. The slide broke about a foot deep on top of the packed layer of snow and was 150-200' wide at the crown. Thankfully it slid slowly, less than 100' and I was able to ride out of it.
From obs: "This afternoon my group of 4 was riding up out of Tepee Creek heading towards Cabin Creek and I set off this small slide on a northeast facing slope as I was coming down it. The slide broke about a foot deep on top of the packed layer of snow and was 150-200' wide at the crown. Thankfully it slid slowly, less than 100' and I was able to ride out of it. '
From obs: "This afternoon my group of 4 was riding up out of Tepee Creek heading towards Cabin Creek and I set off this small slide on a northeast facing slope as I was coming down it. The slide broke about a foot deep on top of the packed layer of snow and was 150-200' wide at the crown. Thankfully it slid slowly, less than 100' and I was able to ride out of it. '
Small Wind Slab - Sheep Creek Basin
On our 3rd lap on the North Side Burn in Sheep Creek, we traveled up the ridge to take a look at the steeper terrain to the west along the ridge. From our protected vantage point, we could see a recent wind slab that appeared to release naturally some in the past 24 hours. The crown was obscured, but I would code the avalanche as SS-N-R1-D1-S. The avalanche was approximately 3-6" deep, 25' wide, and ran for ~60'.
Small Slide in Tepee Creek
This afternoon my group of 4 was riding up out of Tepee Creek heading towards Cabin Creek and I set off this small slide on a northeast facing slope as I was coming down it. The slide broke about a foot deep on top of the packed layer of snow and was 150-200' wide at the crown. Thankfully it slid slowly, less than 100' and I was able to ride out of it.
Large natural in Beehive/GoingHome Chute
On 2/4/23 we toured up the ridge between Going Home Chute and Tyler's (below prayer flags). We saw evidence of a large avalanche that broke during the avalanche warning last weekend in Going Home Chute, R3-D2.5 (see photos). It appeared to have run to the end of the runout zone and tipped over small trees.