21-22

<p>The primary concern today is avalanches breaking where the 5” of new snow has been blown into deeper drifts by northwest winds. Look out for and steer clear of these drifts to avoid the hazard. Watch for cracks shooting out in front of your skis or snowmobile as a sign that you’ve stumbled into a drift and back off steep slopes. Loose snow slides are also possible on sunny slopes. Today these will only involve the new snow, but could run long distances on firm crusts. It’s unlikely you’ll trigger an avalanche breaking deeper, but there are still weak layers lurking on higher and shadier slopes so it’s worth keeping the possibility in the back of your mind (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpfhtKv_4yQ"><strong><u>Woody Ridge avalanche video</u></strong></a>).</p>

<p>The avalanche danger is MODERATE today on windloaded slopes. On other slopes the danger is LOW.</p>

<p>Avalanches more than a few inches deep are unlikely. It’ll be possible to trigger very thin wind slabs and thin loose snow slides of the new snow heating up in the sun today, but they will generally be small and only worrisome in the most high consequence terrain. Keep an eye out in case you find a drift of windblown snow more than a few inches deep or a low elevation slope that remains wet and unsupportable. Be especially heads up in terrain where getting knocked off your feet by a small slide would have big consequences. If it gets hotter and stays sunnier than expected this afternoon, be on alert for crusts breaking down as this would mean you may be able to trigger a larger wet snow avalanche.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yesterday Dave was in Hyalite pulling the weather station. He stopped to dig and test the snowpack before skiing avalanche terrain, got surprisingly unstable snowpack results (ECTP11) and chose a conservative exit from the area through dense trees (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w18Fxp-dmI"><strong><u>video</u></stro…;). This is your reminder that LOW danger does not mean NO danger. It’s always worth checking to make sure you haven’t found the isolated slope where it is still possible to trigger a deeper slide. Use safe travel practices to cover your bases in case you do get surprised - always carry rescue gear (avalanche beacon, shovel, &amp; probe), go one at a time on steep slopes, and watch your partners from a safe spot.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The avalanche danger is LOW today.</p>

<p>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).</p>

<p>Temperatures are below freezing and skies will remain cloudy, effectively shutting down melting and wet avalanche activity. The snow that is falling will total a few inches and may slide as loose sluffs on steep slopes. However, the main concern is not avalanches, but ski injuries from the new snow covering up the frozen surface, described as skiing on a coral reef.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the last week the snowpack has changed. Meltwater has percolated into layers and many slopes have moist, mushy snow. The buried layers, even dry ones, are warming and getting close to zero degrees Celsius. At this temperature liquid water moves through the snowpack and weakens it quickly. We see this when we sink to our waist in wet snow after stepping out of our skis or off our snowmobile. Today a firm ice crust will keep us from sinking. Our three most recent videos outline what to expect and how to deal with these rapidly changing springtime conditions:</p>

<ol>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/SIsIH_mGe-E"><u>Explaining Wet, Isothermal Snow</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/8LbaFYKHIvE"><u>Overnight freeze = stable in the morning</u></a>.&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/O5K_gNFeBt8"><u>It Finally Froze in Beehive Basin</u></a></li>
</ol>

<p>Throughout our forecast area avalanches are unlikely and conditions are generally safe. Even with good stability, standard protocols apply: travel with a partner, only expose 1 person a time in avalanche terrain and carry rescue gear. Today the avalanche danger is rated LOW. If the weather forecast is wrong and the sun pokes out, slopes will get wet quickly and the danger will rise.&nbsp;</p>

<p>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).</p>