18-19

<p>This is our third day in a row without snow. No snow means no loading and the snowpack is less sensitive to triggering. With a decreasing avalanche danger the odds of making a mistake in the backcountry, unfortunately, do not decrease along with it. On Saturday, many slopes were ripe to avalanche and did (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/avalanche-activity">full list</a></strong>). Today their numbers are much less, but knowing which slopes are still dangerous is critical.</p>

<p>On many slopes there is weak snow in the lower third to half of the snowpack. In almost all our videos over the last 2 months we show this sugary, unsupportable snow. It was responsible for the fatality in the Tobacco Root Mountains (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?index=2&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvRNl9kuY3DxfW…; <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/accident/19/01/29">report</a></strong&gt;), and Ian triggered an avalanche on this weak layer in Taylor Fork (<u><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh3eSrv6fYI">video</a></strong></u&gt;, <u><strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/19/sunlight-basin-avalanche-2">photo…;). You don’t need a Level 1 certification or snow science degree to find it, just step off your skis or sled. If you sink to the ground, you found it. Signs of instability such as cracking and collapsing, which were prevalent over the weekend are less so today, and evaluating slope stability requires work.</p>

<p>Karl Birkeland skied to Mt. Ellis yesterday and his experience is instructive. He was there on Saturday and retreated lower on the mountain when he got collapses and poor stability test scores (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHramxEhjO8&amp;t=0s&amp;index=5&amp;li…;). Yesterday there were no collapses and cracking, but he dug 3 snowpits (yes, he’s super into it) and found instability in each one (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0dOv0z4GDI&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvRNl9ku…;). From the summit he skied his skin track back to the car avoiding avalanche terrain. Although the avalanche danger is going down throughout our area, he found conditions that were bad. What Karl did is what we all need to do: in the absence of collapsing and cracking, dig and test the snow. It’s the only way to know what’s under our feet.</p>

<p>For today, the avalanche danger is rated MODERATE since human-triggered avalanches are still possible.</p>

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