EBS STAFF
According to forecasting by the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, avalanche danger is moderate, meaning specific terrain will have higher danger.
“Triggering a dangerous slab avalanche that breaks 1-2 feet deep is possible. The poor structure of the snowpack across the advisory area is fundamentally the same, with a strong slab of recent snow resting on top of a thick layer of weak, grainy facets,” the GNFAC wrote on its Dec. 26 forecast.
After snowfall this past holiday weekend, the Bridger Range received five or more inches and Big Sky received more than six inches and up to 31 inches in some areas during the past week. Winds on certain terrain have drifted more snow on slopes, especially in the Bridger Range, increasing instability.
Weak top layers can be identified by sinking to the ground when stepping out of skis or snowshoes.
A Dec. 24 video examined the likelihood of drifts and avalanches in the Bridger Range, noting small avalanches and cracks. The GNFAC recommends finding less steep slopes when seeing these signs of avalanches.
