Monday, January 28th, 2008

 Good morning. This is Scott Schmidt with the Gallatin National Forest
 Avalanche Advisory issued on Monday, January 28, at 7:30 a.m. Barrel
 Mountaineering, in cooperation with the Friends of the Avalanche
 Center, sponsor todays advisory. This advisory does not apply to
 operating ski areas.


 MOUNTAIN WEATHER

 A warm, wet, southwest flow has deposited 8 12 inches of new snow in
 the mountains near West Yellowstone. Six to eight inches fell in the
 mountains around Cooke City, with 1 3 in the northern mountain near
 Big Sky and Bozeman. Winds have been 15 35 mph from the southwest, and
 temperatures are in the upper teens at 9000 feet.


 Snow will continue today with an additional 8 12 inches of
 accumulation in the mountain around West Yellowstone and Cooke City,
 and 4 6 inches in the mountains near Big Sky and Bozeman. Winds will
 be westerly at 15 30 mph, and daytime highs will be in the single
 digits at 9000 feet. The jet stream shifts northwest tonight, bring
 cold artic air to the area. Overnight lows will be well below zero so
 plug in the old jalopy tonight. Lingering moisture may produce a
 couple of inches of light fluffy in the northern areas tonight to top
 of todays cream.


 SNOWPACK AND AVALANCHE DISCUSSION

 The northern Gallatin and northern Madison Ranges:

 A dog was caught and buried in an avalanche on Mt Blackmore yesterday.

 The dog and her owner where just toping on the ridgeline above the
 steep east facing bowl near Blackmore Lake when a cornice broke
 back 8 10 feet from the ridge. The dog fell over the edge and was
 caught and buried in an avalanche that released from the cornice
 drop. The avalanche appeared to have run on the faced snow near the
 ground that is prevalent throughout the northern mountains. Yesterdays
 strong southwest winds have loaded north-facing slopes in this area
 and the reporting party observed numerous natural avalanches. Due to
 the variable nature of the snowpack in the northern Gallatin and
 northern Madison Ranges, all steep slopes should be approached with
 caution. A CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger exists on all wind-loaded
 slopes, and on non-wind-loaded slopes steeper than 35 degrees.

 Non-wind-loaded slopes that are less steep have a MODERATE danger.

 If todays snowstorm materializes, the avalanche danger will be on the
 rise. Be careful out there.


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

 A lone skier was caught and partially buried in an avalanche near
 Specimen Creek yesterday. The skier was traveling on a low angle slope
 when he triggered the slide which propagated into steeper terrain
 above him. He was caught and partially buried on the uphill side of
 some trees. Fortunately, he had an airway and was able to extract
 himself with only minor injuries.


 I was in Carrot Basin and Beaver Creek in the southern Madison Range
 yesterday. My partner and I dug several snow pits and found the layer
 of faceted snow that is buried 2 3 feet deep throughout the
 southern mountains. This layer had good strength on the slopes we
 investigate and we felt comfortable skiing steep lines on
 non-wind-loaded terrain. We did see a natural avalanche on a steep
 slope which had released in recently wind deposited snow but didnt
 break into older layers. The stability we found in this area is
 not indicative of the snowpack further south. Natural and human
 triggered avalanches released on this layer as recently as last week.

 Last nights heavy snowfall and strong wind have added significant load
 to the snowpack in the southern Madison and southern Gallatin Ranges,
 the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone, the mountains around Cooke
 City, and the Washburn Range. Natural and human-triggered avalanches
 are likely on wind-loaded slopes steeper then 35 degrees which have a
 HIGH avalanche danger. Wind-loaded slopes that are less steep, and
 non-wind-loaded slopes steeper then 35 degrees have a CONSIDERABLE
 avalanche danger. On non-wind-loaded slopes that are less steep, the
 avalanche danger is MODERATE.


 The Bridger Range:

 A group skiing in the northern Bridger Range reported a weak layer
 of snow that fractured cleanly during stability tests. This layer
 was buried approximately 8 inches deep and may be the surface hoar
 or near-surface facets that have been reported. Dig around and look
 for this layer before traveling on any recently wind loaded slopes in
 the Bridger Range. Wind-loaded slopes in these mountains have a
 CONSIDERABLE danger if they are steeper than 35 degrees.

 Wind-loaded slopes that are less steep have a MODERATE danger. All
 non-wind-loaded slopes have a LOW danger.