23-24

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>While it’s raining in the valleys again and many slopes are still bare dirt, avalanche season has begun. Some high elevation slopes are starting to build a layered snowpack (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29233"><span><span><span><strong><span… observation</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/sites/default/files/snow_obs/2023-10/8f9876…;).A couple of avalanches have already been reported this year (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/23/avalanche-mt-blackmore-hyalite"><…. Blackmore</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/23/avalanche-pine-creek"><span><span… Creek</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). If you are planning to travel in the mountains this weekend, you need to consider the potential for avalanches before crossing any steep, snow-covered slopes. If there is enough snow that rocks and bushes are buried, avalanches are a concern. Take these early season conditions seriously. 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>).&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Your safe travel options are either to completely avoid steep snow-covered slopes (which is a very viable option in most places right now, depending on your goals for the day) or to follow avalanche safety protocols. This means having a partner, 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 guidelines apply regardless of the activity that you’re pursuing and apply even to crossing steep wind drifts while the surrounding terrain is bare ground. Be especially cautious of slopes that have fresh drifts of snow and slopes that had snow cover prior to this latest round of snowfall. Be alert for changing conditions as more snow falls over the coming days, especially if it ends up being more than a few inches.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<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 developing 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).&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><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>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>If you are planning to travel in the mountains this weekend, you need to consider the potential for avalanches before crossing any steep, snow-covered slopes. If there is enough snow that rocks and bushes are buried, avalanches are a concern. Be especially cautious of slopes that have fresh drifts of snow and slopes that had snow prior to this latest round of snowfall. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>