22-23

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Around Cooke City, the Lionhead area, and also in the northern Gallatin Range, we have weak layers buried 3-5 feet deep that are avalanching. On Sunday, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.mtavalanche.com/node/28471"><span><span><span><strong><span>… large avalanche broke on Miller Mountain</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> outside Cooke City with just 3” of new snow…yikes! Yesterday, a 3-foot deep avalanche was </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.mtavalanche.com/node/28504"><span><span><span><strong><span>… by a snowmobiler in Lionhead</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. And last night winds in Hyalite ramped up and are loading slopes, which is on the heels of a 3-5 foot deep skier triggered avalanche on </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.mtavalanche.com/node/28436"><span><span><span><strong><span>… Peak that partially buried him on Saturday</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. As far as the snowpack is concerned, wind-loading is the equivalent of a snowstorm.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Recent avalanches tell us slopes are unstable. Stability tests can be unreliable when our layer of concern is deep. Although the sun is out and fresh powder abounds, we recommend a cautious approach to route-finding and decision-making because </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>dangerous avalanche conditions exist</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. We do not advise getting onto steep slopes in these ranges today.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In Hyalite, Dave found a new weak layer of sugary facets buried a foot under the surface. Today’s wind-loads could create avalanches on it. We’ll be looking for this layer in other ranges.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Check out </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/42Zk3eLEMvE"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…’s excellent video from Hyalite yesterday</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/llxGMYhmhY0"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…’s drone shots from Lionhead</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/nZFM_QZxG3Q"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>… avalanche investigation from Saturday in Cooke City</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. These 3 videos paint a vivid picture of what we are worried about.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger is rated CONSIDERABLE.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In the Bridger Range, the entire Madison Range and southern Gallatins, we have buried weak layers, but at the moment they are not being loaded. However, instabilities seen on Sunday and Monday point to the need to dig and test slopes we want to play on. On Saturday, night riders triggered a 2-3 foot deep slide on Buck Ridge (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/23/snowmobiler-triggered-slide-buck-… and details</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). The next day Alex went looking for it and ended up watching cracks shoot away from his sled in the windblown snow (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/-SJTky6-3wg"><span><span><span><strong><span><u><span>…;). In the Bridger Range on Sunday, skiers triggered small wind slabs (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/28482"><span><span><span><strong><span… and photos</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>), and on Monday, skiers found small avalanches in the new snow on the Ramp (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/28493"><span><span><span><strong><span… and photos</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Since the possibility of triggering a slide remains, the avalanche danger is rated MODERATE.&nbsp;</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;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p>Around Cooke City, the Lionhead area, and also in the northern Gallatin Range, we have weak layers buried 3-5 feet deep that are avalanching. Recent avalanches tell us slopes are unstable. Although the sun is out and fresh powder abounds, we recommend a cautious approach to route-finding and decision-making because dangerous avalanche conditions exist. For reference, we would not get onto steep slopes in these ranges today.</p>