Avalanche forecast

Flathead Range & Glacier NP

Flathead Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

There is a low likelihood of triggering a large avalanche. Practice safe travel protocols by only exposing one rider to steep terrain at a time. Choose slopes with smooth runouts to reduce the risk of injury in the unlikely event of a triggered avalanche.

Arctic air will drop temperatures below zero tonight. Broken equipment or injury that leaves you out overnight could turn into a very serious situation. Bring extra layers, food, and fire starter. 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2–3

    The chance of triggering a large slab avalanche failing 1 to 3 feet deep is unlikely, not impossible. The last human-triggered avalanche failing on buried weak layers was 11 days ago. We have received no signs of instability since then. 

    Travel Advice:

    • Traveling on slopes with a supportable crust significantly reduces the chances of collapsing the weak layer and causing an avalanche. A hard crust exists on sunny slopes and most mid-elevation slopes. Observations indicate thinner crusts on upper-elevation, shaded aspects.
    • If you want to ride in steep terrain, then I still recommend being selective with which slopes you choose. Choose slopes that have runouts free of trees, cliffs, or gullies. This will reduce the chances of trauma or deep burial if the unexpected happens.
    • Carry shovel, beacon, and probe and only expose one person to steep terrain at a time. 

    A large, natural slab avalanche on Slippery Bill Mountain in the Skyland area. 

    Key into slope characteristics near the crown of this avalanche. The crown is next to a steep breakover and next to rocky outcroppings. These are common trigger points. Further reduce the chance of triggering an avalanche by riding around these type of terrain features. 

    Photo: Michael Reavis

Avalanche Discussion

The most significant hazards to your day will be frozen surface conditions and an arctic air mass moving over the divide today. Recent observations continue to describe challenging and unpleasant riding conditions due to hard crusts. An arctic air mass will drop temperatures into the negatives tonight. This will turn a simple mishap into a serious situation. Extra layers, food, and fire starter are all good items to have in your pack or tunnel bag. Planning an early exit will give you more time in the event of equipment failure or injury.

We dropped the avalanche danger to low. The saying “Low danger does not mean no danger” does indeed apply. Weak layers buried around crusts still exist in the snowpack. At this point, evidence suggests they are dormant. The hills have gone quiet since the snowpack surface froze over a week ago. We have received no signs of instability, and there are no new reported avalanches.

Continue to practice safe travel protocols with your partners (riding in steep terrain one at a time, positioning spotters in safe locations with good visibility of the slope, carrying your shovel, beacon, probe). Although the chance of triggering an avalanche is low, I’m personally still choosy about which slopes I’m riding due to the potential consequences. I’m hedging bets on slopes with a supportable crust, long runouts free of surface obstacles and cliffs, and riding around common trigger points (convex rollovers and thin, rocky areas).

Submit your observations for a chance to win an ORTOVOX probe and shovel!

  • Open to all motorized riders (snowmobiles and snowbikes).
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