24-25

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Sunday, Monday, Tuesday precipitation totals are:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>1.3” of snow water equivalent near Cooke City</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>1” of snow water equivalent in the Taylor Fork area of the S. Madisons</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>0.5” inches of snow water equivalent near West Yellowstone and Lionhead</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Persistent slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - This problem feels more like booby traps that aren’t widespread but will pop up and surprise you when you least expect it. It hasn’t been a widespread problem </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>near Cooke</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, but two notable slides happened </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34367"><span><span><span><span><span><… Saturday</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> and on </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34368"><span><span><span><span><span><… </span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>at 8800 feet on the northeast side of Mt Abundance. Both were 2-3 ft deep and 150-200 ft wide.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>BEFORE this recent snow two slides happened in </span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34336"><u><span><span>Teepee Basin</span></span></u></a><span> and one at </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34267"><span><span><span><span><span><…; generally about 2 feet deep and 100 feet wide. These slides are scary because they can happen on smaller slopes sheltered from the wind at lower elevations where you might think conditions are safer but they are not.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - Strong winds blew Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday when snow was falling, especially near Cooke which saw widespread drifting and some surprisingly large wind slab avalanches like one </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34397"><span><span><span><span><span><… Crown Butte</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> on Tuesday and another that fully buried a rider on the </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34395"><span><span><span><span><span><… side of MIller Mountain</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> the same day. With lighter winds yesterday and today, wind slabs will be slowly stabilizing, but they are tricky because some may be stable while others may still need another day or so to stabilize.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger overall is MODERATE, because many slopes have stable snow, but others can still easily produce an avalanche. Today is tricky because the likelihood of triggering a wind slab is going down but some booby traps of persistent slab avalanches are lurking out there. Riding slopes less than 30 degrees in steepness is always a great way to avoid avalanches.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>ALSO,</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> watch for some small wet loose avalanches on sunny slopes especially ones with exposed rocks or cliff bands.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Sunday, Monday, Tuesday precipitation totals are:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>0.8” of snow water equivalent near Big Sky</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>0.5” of snow water equivalent in Hyalite</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>0.4” of snow water equivalent in the Centennials near Island Park</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>0.3” of snow water equivalent in the Bridgers</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> are still something to watch for as strong winds blew each of those days. Wind slabs have surprised me more than any other type of avalanche because you can test some that won’t move but then you jump on another that releases. Today many will be stable, but there will certainly be a few wind slabs that could still be triggered. <span>Cornices have gotten pretty big</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>&nbsp;and can trigger avalanches like <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34402">one seen in Hyalite yesterday</a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Stay far back from them as they typically break further back than you’d expect.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Watch for </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>wet loose avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> on sunny slopes especially ones with exposed rocks or cliff bands.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Today previously wind loaded slopes have a MODERATE danger. Non wind loaded slopes have generally safe avalanche conditions and a LOW danger.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p>Yesterday, an avalanche buried a snowmobiler whose head was five feet under the snow and only his foot sticking out. Partners successfully resuscitated the rider, and we are happy to report that everyone was okay in the end (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34395"><span>more information</span></a>). We don’t know all the details, but we know that avalanche conditions are dangerous in the mountains around Cooke City.</p>

<p>Human-triggered <strong>wind slab avalanches</strong> breaking 1-2 feet deep on freshly drifted slopes are likely. Yesterday, a large natural or rider-triggered avalanche failed over 100 feet wide on the north face of Crown Butte (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34397"><span>info and photos</span></a>). This weekend, skiers and riders reported many human-triggered and natural avalanches north of Cooke City breaking on slopes where strong wind deposited drifting snow (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34368"><span>observation and photos</span></a>, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34360"><span>photos and details</span></a>). Avoid wind-loaded slopes and find softer snow and safer conditions in wind-sheltered terrain.</p>

<p>This weekend, Alex and a second group of riders triggered slopes that broke 150-250 feet wide and two feet deep from low-angle terrain nearby (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pniI5ENMxMU"><span>video</span></a&gt;, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34344"><span>observation</span></a&gt;). Reduce your exposure to steep slopes when these <strong>persistent slab avalanches</strong> breaking on buried weak layers are in the mix. Extensive snowpack analysis is required for a safer day in and around avalanche terrain or choose to play in terrain less than 30 degrees steep.</p>

<p><span>Cautious route-finding is essential, and the danger is CONSIDERABLE. </span></p>

<p>In the Southern Gallatin and Southern Madison Ranges and mountains near West Yellowstone, human-triggered <strong>persistent slab avalanches</strong> breaking 1-3 feet deep on buried weak layers are possible. Avoiding steep faces at upper elevations is insufficient because we have seen (and triggered) slides at lower elevations. Mark and I looked at a pair of snowmobiler-triggered avalanches in Tepee Basin that broke 2 feet deep and over 100 feet wide on treed mid-elevation slopes last weekend (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34301"><span>details and photos</span></a>, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34341"><span>details and photos 2</span></a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/jdtQgYx3MNA?feature=shared"><span>video</span></a&gt;). A week ago, we triggered a similar slide in Lionhead (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34268"><span>video</span></a&gt;), an avalanche in Black Canyon piled debris 15 feet deep (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34266"><span>details</span></a&gt;), and Alex and Haylee heard a loud <em>whumph</em> in the Taylor Fork when a slope collapsed (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXj3ZtkUM5s"><span>video</span></a&gt;). Assess for instability associated with persistent weak layers or play in terrain less than 30 degrees steep.</p>

<p><strong>Wind slab avalanches</strong> breaking less than a foot deep are possible on steep wind-loaded slopes. Avoid steep slopes with recent drifts where slides could carry you into terrain traps like trees, cliffs and gullies.</p>

<p><span>The avalanche danger is MODERATE. </span></p>

<p>Strong winds drifted several inches of recent snow in the mountains around Bozeman, Big Sky and Island Park, making <strong>wind slab avalanches </strong>up to a foot deep the primary concern. On Monday, a rider escaped a small wind slab avalanche on Cedar Mountain (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34357"><span>details and photos</span></a>). Yesterday in the Bridger Range, we were blasted by blowing snow and saw cracking in drifts (<a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/AWBO2tGdnRM?feature=share"><span>video</span…;). These avalanches are most dangerous on slopes with terrain traps, including cliffs, rocks, trees and gullies. Maintain increased levels of suspicion for instability on slopes below cornices and areas with shooting cracks, recent avalanche activity or a stiffening of the snow surface. If you avoid recently wind-loaded slopes, you will find generally safe conditions.</p>

<p><span>The danger is MODERATE on wind-loaded slopes and LOW on all others. </span></p>