Spring Avalanche Conditions

posted: March 30, 2007

Spring Avalanche Conditions
Posted March 30th, 2007

Hello! This is Steve Karkanen at the West Central Montana Avalanche Center with a springtime avalanche safety reminder. This informational advisory is the sole responsibility of the Forest Service and does not apply to operating ski areas.

While there is still plenty of snow at the higher elevations and we sometimes receive abundant snowfall in April, we are at the close of our normal operating season. Our observers are currently unable to access the higher terrain as there just isn’t any snow in many locations below 6000’. If you get out and see avalanche activity or want to report on conditions please send an email to info@missoulaavalanche.org.

Anticipate the avalanche danger to increase as temperatures rise above the freezing point or whenever it rains, especially on steeper slopes that recently received several inches of new snow. Pay close attention to slopes exposed to direct sun and move to cooler shaded slopes as the day progresses. When roller balls start pin-wheeling down the hill or you start sinking in above your boot tops in wet mushy snow it’s time to get off that slope. Also get out from underneath any big open steep slope that has been getting baked by the sun.

We are no longer posting a regular avalanche advisory for this season. Informational avalanche advisories will be posted as needed. Further information about current snowpack and travel conditions can be obtained by contacting our office at 406-329-3752 or the Ranger Station where you plan to recreate. Initial contact phone numbers are:

Bitterroot National Forest: 406-363-7100
Clearwater National Forest: 208-476-8267
Lolo National Forest: 406-329-3750

Forest visitor and other information is also available on the web. Check out the USDA Forest Service Northern Region website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/index.shtml.