22-23

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Last week’s new snow with more snow possible tonight creates the main avalanche hazards this week. On many slopes the recent snow got wet from warm temperatures and sunshine, then froze into a crust overnight. Where this crust softens during the day, wet snow avalanches can be triggered. These could become large and run far, especially where more snow fell last week. If rain falls in the mountains wet slides will become more likely. On high, shady slopes where the recent snow remained dry, a person could trigger wind slabs or dry loose avalanches which could slide easily on a crust that formed before last week’s snow.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Snow that falls tonight could be drifted into fresh slabs that a person could trigger, or loose snow avalanches could be triggered if the snow doesn’t stick to the old snow surface. During the storm last week, skiers at Bridger Bowl easily triggered loose snow avalanches (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.mtavalanche.com/images/23/avalanche-apron"><span><span><span… on Apron</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.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ZnhKX3TGE"><span><span><span><strong>… 1</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.youtube.com/watch?v=gYmr-V73OD8"><span><span><span><strong>… 2</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Warm temperatures and sunshine the next couple days will make it easy to trigger wet avalanches of the new snow.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Before traveling on or underneath steep slopes, carefully assess the stability of recent and new snow. Dig down a couple feet to see how the snow is bonding to crusts underneath. Cracking around your skis or feet is a sign the snow is unstable and to be cautious of steeper slopes. Pay attention to how wet the snow surface becomes. If you can make a snowball of moist snow or you sink past your ankle in wet snow, wet avalanches will soon become easy to trigger or could happen naturally. Start your day early and plan to be off and not underneath steep slopes before the snow gets wet.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>If stability assessment is tricky or uncertain, ride or ski slopes that are less than 30 degrees steep, or find simple terrain without large consequences if you are caught in a slide. Avalanches that involve the new snow might be small, but can be deadly if they carry you over a cliff, into trees, or a confined gully.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Other problems to be aware of are large cornices along ridgelines and deeper persistent weak layers. Give cornices a wide berth along ridgelines and avoid slopes below them (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/23/cornice-fall-mount-abundance"><sp…. Abundance</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/giant-cornice-collapse-north-madi… Madison Range</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Avalanches breaking deeper in the snowpack are unlikely. However, old weak layers might still cause an avalanche on higher elevation shady slopes where there is not a thick crust below the recent 1-3 feet of snow (Deep slabs Northern Madison Range (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29012"><span><span><span><strong><span…;, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29119"><span><span><span><strong><span…;), </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/29004"><span><span><span><strong><span… Gallatin Range</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/node/28949"><span><span><span><strong><span… Area</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/28900"><span><span><span><strong><span… Range</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>We will issue weather and snowpack updates twice a week through April, and we will continue to share relevant avalanche and snowpack information on our website and social media. If you get out, please send us your observations no matter how brief. You can submit them via our website, email (mtavalanche@gmail.com), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p>Last week’s new snow with more snow possible tonight creates the main avalanche hazards this week. Before traveling on or underneath steep slopes, carefully assess the stability of recent and new snow. Dig down a couple feet to see how the snow is bonding to crusts underneath. If stability assessment is tricky or uncertain, ride or ski slopes that are less than 30 degrees steep, or find simple terrain without large consequences.</p>