21-22

<p>The avalanche danger is rising. Today is snowy and windy with the bulk of the storm occurring during daylight hours. 6-12” is expected to fall and will create instabilities. Wind-loading at most elevations will make thick drifts that could break and avalanche. Additionally, there is a weak layer 6-12” under the surface on some slopes. An avalanche was seen at this depth in Lionhead that broke a day or two prior (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/22/recent-avalanche-lionhead"><stron…;). A buried layer of faceted crystals or feathery surface hoar is the likely culprit, but the specifics don’t matter, just that a new weak layer is being loaded and avalanching. Outside Cooke City a “whumph” or collapse was felt on Henderson Mountain, a sign of instability. Today’s snow will create dangerous avalanche conditions. Triggering slides in fresh wind drifts or a deeper layer is likely. Travel carefully and do not expose yourself to steep terrain. An error in judgement could be deadly. For today, the avalanche danger is rated CONSIDERABLE on all slopes.</p>

<p>Today’s snowfall is welcome, but carries a heightened risk of avalanches. Wind speed is increasing at all elevations. It is blowing westerly at ridgelines, but will swirl and load slopes at many aspects and elevations. These wind drifts could be triggered. Furthermore, a layer of weak, faceted snow 1-3 feet deep in the Bridger Range is widespread and could avalanche as it did last week on Saddle Peak (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/25329"><strong><u>details</u></strong>…;). Today’s snow is falling onto a relatively stable snowpack but we have concerns nonetheless. Ian was on Mt Ellis on Tuesday and took the time to test the snow before he exposed himself to avalanche terrain (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp4MIwaLaac"><strong><u>video</u></stro…;). New snow today creates instabilities with wind-loading. It also creates questions about how it is bonding to the old snow surface and how buried weak layers, some near the ground, are handling this week’s snowfall. Already 8-10” of snow (.8” of <a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/null/?cid=nrcseprd1314… water equivalent</u></a>) has incrementally loaded the snowpack since Monday. The avalanche danger is rising and due diligence is required: dig, test and only expose 1 person at a time to avalanche terrain. For today, it is possible to trigger avalanches and the danger is rated MODERATE on all slopes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If you get out, please send us your observations no matter how brief. You can submit them via our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation"><strong><u>websi…;, email (<a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com"><strong><u>mtavalanche@gmail.com</u></str…;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>