Toured into the emigrant gulch area today. At around 7600’, I found some touchy storm slabs. These only seemed to be reactive on solar aspects (crust). Near a ridge line, the winds were coming from the east, it was weird. Socked in all day with lots of snow flying around.
Saw lots of small loose avalanches on Mt Blackmore and nearby slopes, some appeared to be natural and others skier triggered. We saw multiple dry loose on N and E aspects and a wet loose on a southeast aspect.
We also noticed recent wind loading on the southeast side of ridgetops and scouring on north slopes.
<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>The avalanche danger will be rising today</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with wind and snow, but there’s a lot of uncertainty with how much snow will fall. .</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> will be the main hazard today as winds from the E and NE increase by afternoon. These wind slabs will be widespread and easy to trigger. HEADS UP - Expect drifting in odd places because winds don’t typically blow from the east.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Persistent slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 2-3 feet deep remain a threat on isolated slopes in the mountains near West Yellowstone (southern Madison and Gallatin Ranges, and Lionhead). This is a tricky problem and has surprised riders on slopes like one at </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34421"><span><span><span><span><span><… last Friday</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34413"><span><span><span><span><span><… Creek last Thursday</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Storm slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> in the new snow could become a problem this afternoon on all steep slopes if forecasted snow amounts of 8-12 inches pan out.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger will rise to CONSIDERABLE today on wind loaded slopes and MODERATE on non-wind loaded slopes. With the danger rising and multiple avalanche problems, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><u><span><span>the best plan today will be to step back mostly avoiding avalanche terrain and let the storm play out.</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger today near Bozeman, Big Sky, and Cooke City will be rising as well mainly due to east winds.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Watch out</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> for places locally heavier snowfall amounts where the danger will be higher. These places could be in our normal forecast zones or more likely areas to the east.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> will be the main concern today, and strong winds from the east will cause <strong>drifting in unusual places</strong>. Strong easterly winds had already developed in the Bridgers early this morning and should blow strong in all other places by this afternoon. I bet fresh wind slabs will be easy to trigger but shallow. </span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Don’t take today’s avalanche situation lightly. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>Weird weather (east winds) can cause weird avalanches</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, so I’d be stepping back today, generally avoiding avalanche terrain to see what this storm does regardless of how much snow falls. Today the avalanche danger is MODERATE. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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Observed some cracking in wind drifted snow above tree line NE facing slope. No avalanches observed
Came across a old slide in the hell roaring drainage heading towards Gallatin. East facing. Happened sometime before the recent snow but not long ago. Initial crown seemed to be 12-18 inches and stepped down further down the slope. Was a fairly large debris pile.
Came across a old slide in the hell roaring drainage heading towards Gallatin. East facing. Happened sometime before the recent snow but not long ago. Initial crown seemed to be 12-18 inches and stepped down further down the slope. Was a fairly large debris pile. Photo: S Knowles
Old Avalanche spotted from Wilson yesterday looking North. Possible cornice fall trigger during the warm up but difficult to tell as it was quite a ways away. Photo attached. Photo: Anonymous
Came across a old slide in the hell roaring drainage heading towards Gallatin. East facing. Happened sometime before the recent snow but not long ago. Initial crown seemed to be 12-18 inches and stepped down further down the slope. Was a fairly large debris pile.
