22-23

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>New snow and strong winds are adding load to a snowpack that was already teetering on the edge of instability. As snow accumulates today, you will be able to trigger avalanches in the new and windblown snow. Be on the lookout for and avoid steep slopes with thick fresh drifts. Very strong winds will be loading slopes at all elevations, including slopes that are not usually wind affected. New snow slides could easily be large enough to bury you by themselves and definitely merit caution, but also don’t let them distract you from the much more dangerous deep slab concern.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Last week, steady, incremental loading led to several natural and human triggered avalanches breaking on persistent weak layers buried deep in the snowpack (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/nZFM_QZxG3Q"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>… City video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Today’s loading event makes it more likely for you to trigger one of these large, likely unsurvivable, deep slab avalanches. Getting on steep slopes while a snowpack that has shown the propensity for deep slab avalanches is actively being loaded is tempting fate. Avoid riding on or under slopes steeper than 30 degrees today.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Human triggered avalanches are likely and the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A couple inches of new snow isn’t enough to bump up the danger rating, but by no means does that mean conditions are safe. The avalanche concerns are the same here as in the areas getting more snowfall today, but slides in the new snow will be smaller and avalanches breaking deeper are less likely. If you are planning on riding in avalanche terrain, watch out for wind drifts and dig to test recently buried weak layers in the upper snowpack (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/28511"><span><span><span><strong><span… documenting a new weak layer in Hyalite</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). As the potential still exists for huge, deep slab avalanches (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/42Zk3eLEMvE"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>… video</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>) simply continuing to avoid steep slopes all together is not at all an unreasonable plan. Any potential for deep slab avalanches is particularly scary because signs of instability before an avalanche are often non-existent, stability tests aren’t as effective and many people may travel across a slope before someone hits the wrong spot, and it releases.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Triggering large avalanches remains possible and the avalanche danger is rated MODERATE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Please share avalanche, snowpack or weather observations via our</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_obs"><span><span><span><span>…; </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span><span>website</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, email (</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>mtavalanche@gmail.com</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs). </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

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<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Heavy snowfall and very strong winds today will dramatically increase the avalanche danger. We were a hair's breadth away from issuing an avalanche warning. The more new snow that falls, the more dangerous conditions will become. Avalanches could break in today’s new and wind drifted snow, within the snow that fell last week, or potentially on weak layers deeper in the snowpack. Take a huge step back in your terrain choices today. Avoid riding on or beneath steep slopes.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>