Bollettino valanghe

Flathead Range & Glacier NP

Flathead Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Tue
Alta quota
3 · Marcato
Limite del bosco
3 · Marcato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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In sintesi

Recent reports of avalanches and audible collapses are signs of an untrustworthy, dangerous snowpack. Travel conservatively by sticking to low-angle terrain. Avoid traveling beneath steep slopes to avoid remotely triggering slopes above. 

Problemi valanghivi

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–1.5

    Sunshine and warm temperatures may cause a round of small wet loose avalanches. Avalanche activity will likely occur on very steep slopes with rocky outcroppings that face south and west. These will occur after the surface crust breaks down and the surface snow becomes wet and mushy. Signs to watch for include rollerballs and small sluffs from the steepest, sunniest slopes.

    Surface conditions have already been worked over by the sun and wind over the past week, so activity will be limited. Nonetheless, time your descent or riding to be out from under steep south and west-facing start zones during the heat of the day.

    (3/1/2026) Peter's Ridge Some very thin Loose Wet slides most of which occurred today. At least one of these already existed. 

     Photo: Chris Gotschalk

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Likely
    Dimensione
    2–3

    Recent avalanches and audible collapses have failed on weak layers buried one to four feet deep . Although you can find these weak layers on all aspects in various parts of the advisory area, they are consistently producing avalanches on NW-NE-SE-S facing slopes above about 6000 feet.

    Last week's wind event stiffened the snow surface and drifted more snow onto slopes with buried weak layers. While reported signs of instability have declined slightly, we are still receiving daily reports of collapses and human-triggered, or natural avalanches.

    The only way to manage this problem is by sticking to low-angle slopes with no overhead hazards. Recent crowns have reached into low slope angles, confirming that riders should remain well back from the edge of ridgelines or above convexities. Don’t be lured onto steep slopes that face NW-NE-SE-S  even if you are not seeing signs of unstable snow. People continue trigger avalanches large enough to bury and kill a person.

    (3/27/2026)

    The remarkably wide crown of a natural avalanche near Spotted Bear. Falling cornice may have triggered this slab. However, the wide propagation suggested it released on one of the nagging persistent weak layers plaguing the region. 

    Photo: Flathead Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

A ridge of high pressure will continue building over northwest Montana today and tomorrow. This will bring clear skies with freezing levels into the upper-elevation band. Thankfully, clear and cool nights are allowing the snowpack to adjust by refreezing each night. Expect to travel on firm and crusty conditions this morning, which will break down during the day. Play your cards right by timing your descents or riding just as the crust begins to soften. Move away from sun-exposed slopes once the surface snow becomes wet and unsupportable.

We’ve received a few reports of avalanches failing on buried weak layers this weekend. Recent avalanche activity paints a picture of the locations and size of avalanches we are dealing with. The most notable avalanche was a very large (D3) human-triggered avalanche on a northeast aspect at 6600 feet in the southern Whitefish Range near Werner Peak. This was triggered by a rider at the bottom of the slope (observation). The second was reported by a USFS employee traveling near Spotted Bear in the Swan Range. This was another very large (D3) natural avalanche that failed on an east-facing slope at 7000 feet (observation). Other avalanche activity included a few smaller natural avalanches on wind-loaded slopes in the Flathead Range (observation).

Regioni coperte