19-20

<p>With warm temperatures, dirt showing in town, and the possibility of a drizzle of rain today it may feel like spring, but it is not. It is still very much winter and we still have a winter snowpack. The weak snow at the ground can’t be trusted. Triggering avalanches is still possible and if you do trigger one it may break very deep. We’ve seen avalanches breaking 5-15 ft deep over the last couple weeks in windloaded areas. Take a look at the <strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/avalanche-activity">Avalanche Activity</a></strong> page to remind yourself how big slides have been recently. There have been a number of close calls with people triggering these deep slides (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/21706">details</a></strong&gt;, <strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/21678">details</a></strong&gt;, <strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/21680">details</a></strong&gt;). The likelihood of triggering an avalanche has decreased over the last week and no slides have been reported in the last three days. This is a good sign – but it’s not a free pass to ride steep slopes.</p>

<p>Skiers in the Bridger Range yesterday had a large collapse (100 ft across) on a slope that was just barely too low-angle to slide (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/21731"><strong>details</strong></a&gt;). They listened to the warning sign and turned around. Don’t count on getting one of these clear warnings. Triggering an avalanche may be the first sign of instability you find. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Yesterday, touring near Hebgen Lake, I found no signs of instability or unstable snowpack test results, but stuck with the plan I’d made before heading out by sticking to low angle slopes (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rzvTkbQDt4&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvSbcbVf…;). The likelihood of triggering a slide remains high enough, and the size of a potential slide big enough, to remain very conservative in your terrain choices.</p>

<p>For today, large avalanches are possible and the avalanche danger is rated MODERATE.</p>

<p>If you get out, please send us your observations no matter how brief. You can fill out an&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation">observation form</a></strong>, email us (<strong><a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com">mtavalanche@gmail.com</a></strong&gt;), leave a VM at 406-587-6984, or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>