24-25

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>A persistent slab avalanche problem</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> exists throughout the forecast area with a weak layer of faceted snow buried 1-2 feet deep on nearly all slopes. This weak layer formed on top of the snowpack during dry weather in the first two weeks of December, and in some places it includes a layer of </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/32524"><span><span><span><span><span><… hoar</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. A few small storms capped this weak layer, and then snowfall from Saturday night through Tuesday built a slab on top of it. That snow also dramatically improved skiing and riding conditions.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/32540"><span><span><span><span><span><… group</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> in Beehive Basin yesterday found this layer producing unstable results in snowpack tests.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>A group in </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/32523"><span><span><span><span><span><…; had a similar observations.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>My riding partners and I found this weak layer </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/snow-observations-list"><span><span><span><… Sawtelle Peak</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> near Island Park on Tuesday.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>A </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/32522"><span><span><span><span><span><… near Cooke City</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> yesterday experienced shooting cracks.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Dave and his partner found it </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/32482"><span><span><span><span><span><… Cooke City</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> on Monday &amp; Tuesday</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>See the full list of observations </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/snow-observations-list"><span><span><span><…;

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Yesterday’s winds </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>left few slopes untouched - loading many with wind blown snow or creating a more cohesive slabs on other slopes without obvious drifting. Whether a wind slab is present or not, the end result is that persistent slab avalanches remain likely.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>The challenge today</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is that you may not get direct feedback from the snowpack with obvious signs like shooting cracks or </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/#collapse-or-whumpf"><span…;. Yesterday in </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/32524"><span><span><span><span><span><… Basin near Big Sky</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Ian and I couldn’t find any of those obvious clues, but a quick snowpit and an extended column test immediately showed us the problem.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Recent avalanche activity (view all activity </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/avalanche-activity"><span><span><span><stro…;) has been a bit on the small side, but I expect </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>avalanches today to be larger</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> as a result of yesterday’s winds creating a more cohesive slab.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The combination of a widespread weak layer, recent snowfall followed by major wind loading, recent avalanche activity, and consistently poor snowpack test results indicates dangerous avalanche conditions. For this reason the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE. Seek out slopes less than 30 degrees in steepness relatively sheltered from the wind for the best and safest conditions today.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>