17-18

<p>Yesterday, no human triggered avalanches were reported in the advisory area. As the snowpack trends towards stability, it will become easier for skiers and riders to be more aggressive in their terrain selections. This increases the chance of being surprised by a large persistent slab avalanche. Facets buried 2-4’ deep are under less stress than earlier in the week, but still hold the potential to propagate a fracture (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yXaQvWxJZI"><strong>video</strong></a&…;, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0mZ89n5sbk"><strong>video</strong></a&…;, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/snowmobile-triggered-avalanche-co…;).</p>

<p>Yesterday, skiers on Cedar Mountain near Big Sky got a large collapse on an east-southeast facing slope around 9,000 ft. This is an obvious sign of instability and clear indicator that buried weak layers remain unstable in certain areas. Conditions seem to be most unstable on slopes with a thinner snowpack. A safe strategy today would be to stick to lower angle slopes and assume that all steep slopes can slide. If you do venture into avalanche terrain, make sure to dig a quick snowpit to thoroughly assess the snowpack before jumping onto steeper slopes.</p>

<p>Today, careful snowpack evaluation, conservative terrain selection and clear communication between group members is essential. Large human triggered avalanches remain possible and the avalanche danger is rated <strong>MODERATE</strong>.</p>

<p><em>Check out pictures that have been added to our </em><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/photos"><strong><em>Photos page</em></strong></a><em> since Monday morning documenting many avalanches.</em></p>

<p>If you get out and have any avalanche or snowpack observations to share, drop a line via our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation">website</a&gt;, email (<a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com">mtavalanche@gmail.com</a&gt;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>

<p>As the days tick by without new snow, avalanches will become harder to trigger. However, a poor snowpack structure on many slopes continues to provide the necessary ingredients for large slab avalanches (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yXaQvWxJZI">video</a></strong&gt;). The slew of activity over the past week is a poignant reminder that human triggered avalanches remain very possible.</p>

<p>Here is a list of the most notable incidents over the past week.</p>

<ol>
<li><u>Southern Madison Range</u>: A snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche on Tuesday up Cabin Creek near Sage Peak. See photos and description above.</li>
<li><u>Cooke City</u>: Yesterday, a snowmobiler narrowly escaped being caught in a large avalanche on the south face of Crown Butte (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0mZ89n5sbk">video</a></strong&gt;, <strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/hard-slab-avalanche-crown-butte-3…;).</li>
<li><u>Bridger Range</u>: On Tuesday, two skiers underneath the cliffs of Saddle Peak were caught and partially buried by an avalanche from a small, wind-loaded pocket that was triggered from above (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/saddle-peak-avalanche-2-partially…;, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/saddle-peak-avalanche-2-partially…;). The two skiers were uninjured.</li>
<li><u>Bridger Range</u>: The accident report on the avalanche in Truman Gulch that injured a skier on Friday, December 29 can be found <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/18/01/02"><strong>HERE</strong></a…;
<li><u>Cooke City</u>: On Friday, December 29, two skiers triggered an avalanche on a ridge to the northeast of Baronette Peak. It broke 2-3 feet deep catching them both and partially burying one (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/warm-creek-avalanche-crown"><stro…;, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/18/warm-creek-avalancheoverview"><st…;).</li>
<li><u>Cooke City</u>: Two skiers remotely triggered an avalanche in Sheep Creek on December 28, partially burying one to the neck.</li>
</ol>

<p>Now is a tricky time. As stability gradually improves, it will become easier to push it in steeper, more dangerous avalanche terrain. Under these conditions, it can take finding the right spot on the right slope to trigger a slide. This means that multiple skiers or riders can hit a slope before it avalanches. Tracks on a slope do not indicate stability.</p>

<p>Today, carefully evaluate the snowpack and treat every steep slope as if it could slide. Although stability is gradually improving, large human triggered avalanches remain possible and the avalanche danger is rated <strong>MODERATE</strong>.</p>

<p><em>Check out pictures that have been added to our </em><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/photos"><strong><em>Photos page</em></strong></a><em> since Monday morning documenting many avalanches.</em></p>

<p>If you get out and have any avalanche or snowpack observations to share, drop a line via our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation">website</a&gt;, email (<a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com">mtavalanche@gmail.com</a&gt;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>