Avalanche danger generally rises when storms deliver significant snowfall to the mountains. The problems are manifold: Fresh powder can take a few days to bond to older snow it accumulates on, leading to storm-slab avalanches; light, unconsolidated dry powder can slough down steep slopes; and the weight of new snow can overload weak layers lower in the snowpack, leading to large avalanches of both new and old snow.
Avalanche danger generally rises when storms deliver significant snowfall to the mountains. The problems are manifold: Fresh powder can take a few days to bond to older snow it accumulates on, leading to storm-slab avalanches; light, unconsolidated dry powder can slough down steep slopes; and the weight of new snow can overload weak layers lower in the snowpack, leading to large avalanches of both new and old snow.
Avalanche danger generally rises when storms deliver significant snowfall to the mountains. The problems are manifold: Fresh powder can take a few days to bond to older snow it accumulates on, leading to storm-slab avalanches; light, unconsolidated dry powder can slough down steep slopes; and the weight of new snow can overload weak layers lower in the snowpack, leading to large avalanches of both new and old snow.
The West Central Montana Avalanche Center on Friday issued a daily forecast of considerable avalanche danger — the middle of five levels — across its forecast area, from Lost Trail Pass on the south to the southern Mission and Swan mountains north of Seeley on the north.
The West Central Montana Avalanche Center on Friday issued a daily forecast of considerable avalanche danger — the middle of five levels — across its forecast area, from Lost Trail Pass on the south to the southern Mission and Swan mountains north of Seeley on the north.