Archived Advisory for Mon Dec 10 2007

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Monday, December 10th, 2007

Good Morning. This is Scott Schmidt with the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Advisory issued on Monday, December 10th at 7:30 a.m. Yamaha and Team Bozeman, in cooperation with the Friends of the Avalanche Center, sponsor today’s advisory. This advisory doesn’t apply to operating ski areas.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Ol’ Mangled Meniscus Johnson might be a good weather forecaster but I think he ought to give up his new career as a bookie before he loses his life savings. As Ron predicted, it is snowing this morning in the mountains of southwest Montana. However, the Patriots crushed the Steelers. Hope he didn’t bet the bank.

Several inches of snow have fallen in the mountains this morning and snow will continue throughout the day. Over the next 24 hours, 6 – 12 inches of snow will accumulate in the northern mountains, with 3 – 6 inches fall in the south. Winds will be 10 – 20 mph from the northwest and mountain temperatures will be in the single digits at 9000 feet.

SNOWPACK AND AVALANCHE DISCUSSION

The Bridger Range and northern Gallatin Range:

Yesterday, the Bridger Bowl ski patrol reported small wind pillows that formed in unusual places below the ridgeline due to downslope winds. These wind slabs were not very large but they released easily with ski cuts. Today’s new snow will not add significant load to the snowpack and non-wind-loaded slopes in the northern mountains continue to be stable. Keep an eye out for yesterday’s unusual wind deposits as you go about your backcountry travels. As always, approach all wind-loaded slopes with caution until you can ascertain their stability. Today, for the Bridger and northern Gallatin Ranges, the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on recently wind-loaded slopes stepper then 35 degrees. Recently wind-loaded slopes that are less steep have a MODERATE danger. The avalanche danger is LOW on all non-wind-loaded slopes.

The southern Gallatin Range, the Madison Range, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:

I was in the Taylor Fork drainage yesterday. My partners and I investigated several avalanches that released early last week. The snowpack has gained strength since Doug and I were in the Lionhead area Tuesday but our stability test still produced clean shears and we experienced snowpack collapsing. This is consistent with reports from the Big Sky ski patrol who continue to find instability on steep slopes near tree line. Doug was in the mountains north of Cooke City yesterday. He saw several avalanches that released since he was there on Wednesday. His stability test indicate the snowpack in these mountains has gained strength in the last several days, but steep slopes are still likely to avalanche with the added weight of a skier or snowmobiler. Today, the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on all slopes steeper then 35 degrees in the southern Gallatin Range, the Madison Range, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range. Slopes that are less steep have a MODERATE danger.

AVALANCHE EDUCATION AND EVENTS

An Avalanche Awareness for Snowmobilers class is being held in West Yellowstone, Thursday and Friday, December 13th and 14th. Lectures on Thursday are being held at the West Yellowstone Conference Hotel from 12-5 pm with an all day field session on Friday. Call 597-6984 for more information.

Doug will issue the next advisory tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. If you get out in the backcountry give us a call or email with your observations. You can reach us at 587-6984 or through our website www.mtavalanche.com.