19-20

<p>On Saturday, skiers in Beehive Basin were able to easily trigger fresh drifts of snow (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/20888">photos and details</a></strong>), and skiers in Hyalite reported a natural avalanche that broke below a large cornice (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/cornice-triggered-slide-hyalite">…;). Wind loaded slopes remain the primary place you can trigger an avalanche, and a few inches of new snow today will be drifted into fresh slabs that can easily be triggered. Be cautious of drifts on steep slopes, and avoid terrain where a small slide could push you into hazards like rocks, cliffs or trees.</p>

<p>Yesterday I went to Beehive Basin for an initial look at that area's&nbsp;snowpack structure and stability (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3avfSdgx6xI&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvSbcbVf…;). The snowpack there is 1.5 to 2 feet deep and generally stable for now, which is similar to other places that we have visited or received observations from (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax71pslomlE&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvSbcbVf… video</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfsxmbyzj3g&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvSbcbVf… video</a></strong>). The snowpack lacks widespread buried weak layers and recent loading from snow and wind has been minimal. This makes overall stability good, but we have received reports of poor snowpack structure and unstable stability test results (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/divide-peak-profile-3-nov">snowpi…;, <strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/snowpit-beehive-basin-0">photo</a…;). These results indicate the need to carefully assess the snowpack on any steep slopes you plan to ski or ride.</p>

<p>This week, a lack of new snow will keep the snowpack mostly stable for now, but in the mountains temperatures will be cold enough to create weak, sugary snow (facets or depth hoar) in many locations. We will be on the lookout for these potential future weak layers as they form, so when more snow buries them we know where to expect avalanches. If you are out in the mountains, you can help us out by<strong> <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation">submitting an observation</a></strong> of the snow, weather or any avalanche activity you see.</p>

<p>If you have avalanche, snowpack or weather observations to share, please submit them via our <u><strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation">website</a></str…;, email (<u><strong><a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com">mtavalanche@gmail.com</a></strong></u&gt;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>