Cooke City

With strong winds, plenty of new snow to transport, and widespread weak layers near the ground - avalanche conditions today are dangerous. Avoid riding on or beneath slopes steeper than 30 degrees, because otherwise you are likely to trigger a large avalanche. Be patient, there will be a time to push into steeper terrain, but that time is not today.

Strong winds and weak snow near the base of the snowpack are the unifying factors across the advisory area today. Variations in recent snowfall totals are driving the major differences in avalanche conditions. The more new snow a region has seen, the more dangerous conditions you will find.

Persistent Slab avalanches remain the number one concern. Avalanches on weak snow near the ground have recently been triggered from long distances away (Buck Ridge), broken naturally (Lone Lake Cirque), and broken really deep (Scotch Bonnet near Cooke City) and wide (Taylor Fork. 

Wind Slab avalanches are possible on any slope with recently drifted snow and are likely in areas with more recent snow and thicker drifts. 

Southern Portions of the Advisory Area & Cooke City area

The Southern Madison and Southern Gallatin Ranges and Cooke City area have the most new snow and are the most dangerous, with a HIGH avalanche danger at upper elevations.

Lionhead and Island Park areas have seen substantial loading, but not quite as intense, so the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE in these regions.

With strong winds and plenty of new snow to transport, expect large wind drifts to break as Wind Slab avalanches. These wind drifts would be plenty dangerous all on their own, but the even bigger concern is slides breaking on weak layers near the ground. Persistent Slab avalanches will be deeper, wider, and more easily triggered, potentially from long distances away. 

Across these regions, avoid travelling on or below slopes steeper than 30 degrees. After today, the snowpack will get a break from the loading. Give the snowpack time to adjust to the loading it is still receiving. Be patient, there will be a time to push into steeper terrain, but that time is not today. 

Northern Portions of the Advisory Area

The Northern Madison, Northern Gallatin and Bridger Ranges have seen less recent snowfall and have a MODERATE avalanche danger today.

Persistent Slab avalanches are also the primary concern in these regions, but with less recent loading, they are becoming harder to trigger. Do not discount this concern - before riding steep slopes, dig down to look for and test any weak layers you find near the ground.

As it snows and blows this morning, stay on alert for unstable wind drifts. I don’t expect these to be widespread, but be wary if you find more than a few inches of recently wind drifted snow.