24-25

<p>This morning, avalanche conditions are generally safe, and slides are unlikely. Warming during the day will unlock snow surfaces and make <strong>wet loose </strong>and <strong>wind slab avalanches</strong> possible. Thankfully, both of these problems will result in relatively small avalanches and are avoidable by timing your day thoughtfully and identifying key terrain features.</p>

<p>Increasing cloud cover and winds may keep snow surfaces cooler than yesterday and multiple days of subsequent freezing and thawing temperatures took the edge off the wet snow danger. However, as the sun and above-freezing temperatures melt snow surfaces, <strong>wet loose avalanches</strong> may occur naturally or with human triggers. Last week’s snow sits above firm crusts, a bed surface that can result in long-running slides. Move to lower-angle terrain or colder, drier slopes on northern aspects when the top few inches of snow become wet or roller balls signal deteriorating stability. Stability will be best first thing in the morning and progressively worsen on slopes in direct sun.</p>

<p>Snow surfaces are hardening, and <strong>wind slab avalanches</strong> are becoming less likely as time separates us from the most recent snowfall and wind loading events. Slabs of drifted snow often present as textured, stiff or rounded snow surfaces. The most likely location for this problem is immediately below corniced ridgelines and in upper elevation gullies holding dry snow. Either avoid these isolated locations or evaluate drifted slopes for instability. While these wind slabs are relatively small, they can push skiers and riders into rocks and off cliffs in steep terrain.</p>

<p>A related concern is <strong>cornice fall</strong>. These overhanging masses of snow near ridgelines are enormous and can break unpredictably far from the edge, especially during spring warm-ups. Minimize your time on slopes below cornices and stay far from the edge while travelling above them.</p>

<p><strong>Recent Avalanche Activity: </strong>Yesterday, skiers south of Cooke City noted a pair of relatively small wet loose avalanches (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34867"><strong><span>details</span></s…;). On Saturday in the Bridger Range, skiers triggered wind slab avalanches on Saddle Peak and The Great One; some loose snow avalanches occurred naturally (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34844"><strong><span>Saddle Peak</span></strong></a>, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34845"><strong><span>The Great One</span></strong></a>, <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/25/natural-loose-slides-bridge-ridge…;), and in Cooke City, wind drifts breaking up to 8 inches deep were more reactive than anticipated (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34848"><strong><span>observation and video</span></strong></a>).</p>

<p><span>The avalanche danger is LOW this morning and will rise to MODERATE as surface crusts break down. </span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Today the two main avalanche problems you might encounter are </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>wind slab avalanches</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </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>. Yesterday in the Bridger Range, wind slab avalanches were triggered by skiers (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34844"><span><span><span><strong><span… Peak</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34845"><span><span><span><strong><span… Great One</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>), and some loose snow avalanches ran naturally (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/25/natural-loose-slides-bridge-ridge…;). I had similar </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34848"><span><span><span><strong><span…; near Cooke City where wind slabs were notably more reactive than expected, despite having had some time to stabilize since snowfall tapered off a couple days ago.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Don’t trust old drifts today, and expect any fresh drifts to be easy to trigger. These wind slabs are relatively small, but can easily knock you over and be harmful if they carry you into rocks, over a cliff, or down a long steep slope. A textured or rounded snow surface is a sign the snow has been drifted into a stiffer slab. Be cautious of wind-loaded slopes, especially in terrain where being carried in even a small slide would have high consequences.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As sunshine and above freezing temperatures melt the snow surface, wet loose avalanches will become possible to trigger and some may run naturally. Soft snow from last week is sitting on firm crusts which could cause wet loose slides to be pretty big and run far. Temperatures are starting warmer and will be higher than yesterday which will probably cause the snowpack to lose strength earlier in the day, and get wet deeper into the snowpack and on slopes that remained dry yesterday.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Expect the snow surface to get weaker through the day, especially on slopes that receive direct sunshine. Sunny slopes will have a crust this morning. Plan to be off steep slopes before the crust melts or the surface gets wet. Moist sticky snow or roller-balls on the surface mean it is time to find lower angle terrain or slopes with colder, dry snow on the surface.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The sunshine and heat will also make </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>cornice falls</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> possible. Along ridgelines, overhanging drifts of snow have become large. As these cornices melt and lose strength they could break naturally or under the weight of a person. Minimize your time on slopes below cornices and stay far back from the edge while travelling on ridgelines above them.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger is MODERATE across the forecast area.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>