18-19

<p>The Avalanche Warning continues in the southern ranges. Snowfall has not let up and in the last 24 hours another 8-10” fell totaling another inch of <a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/or/snow/?cid=nrcs142p2… water equivalent</a> (SWE). Since the&nbsp; start of the storm early Sunday morning close to 6.5” of SWE has fallen around West Yellowstone, 4.5” in Taylor Fork and 5” outside Cooke City. Steady snowfall is adding more weight every day and slopes are avalanching. The likelihood of very large avalanches breaking near the ground is increasing. Do not trust any slope steeper than 30 degrees (avalanche terrain). Do not travel underneath avalanche terrain. Do not venture into the backcountry if you have poor visibility or do not know the terrain intimately. Skiers and riders die when they mistakenly think they are not exposed to avalanche terrain. Eric and I skied into Bacon Rind on Tuesday and found unstable conditions: a large whumph and poor stability test scores (<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXUCG2z6fYI&amp;list=PLXu5151nmAvRNl9ku…;). Human triggered avalanches are very likely today and the danger is rated HIGH on all slopes.</p>

<p>Snowfall and heavy wind-loading from south and east winds has created dangerous avalanche conditions in the northern mountains. A skier died on the west side of the Bridger Range on Tuesday when he triggered a hard slab avalanche on a wind-loaded slope. It was the second time this season the slope avalanched. Yesterday, skiers in the northern Bridger Range found many crowns and debris piles (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/20217">details</a></strong&gt;), and skiers intentionally avalanched a small wind-drifted slope in the northern Madison Range with a ski cut (<strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/20215">photos and details</a></strong>).</p>

<p>The water weight in the north adds up to 1.7-2.9” of SWE with more coming today. Although wind-loaded slopes are the likeliest areas to trigger a slide, slopes without wind drifts are getting loaded to a dangerous level as well. For this reason the avalanche danger is rated CONSIDERABLE on all slopes.</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>