HUNGRY HORSE — An avalanche warning has been issued across mountain ranges in Northwest Montana as heavy snowfall rates and wind-drifted snow create dangerous conditions.
The warning effects slopes above 5,000 feet in the Whitefish, Swan and Flathead ranges, and the Lake McDonald and Marias Pass areas of Glacier National Park.
“It’s unlikely that somebody caught in one of these slides is going to survive either the burial or the trauma that’s associated,” said Flathead Avalanche Center Director Blase Reardon.
Watch to learn more about the avalanche danger in Northwest Montana:
The avalanche warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday, with Reardon saying the warning is likely to be extended.
“We anticipate it’s probably going to extend into Thursday morning because we have a second storm on the way Tuesday night and Wednesday.”
Reardon said both natural and human-caused avalanches are being triggered, with avalanches running long distances, traveling into low-angle terrain.
“We’ve had six accidents in the last 10 days, and an accident is somebody who gets caught, carried and maybe partially or fully buried; that’s usually what we see in a couple seasons,” added Reardon.
Reardon told MTN that avalanches are being triggered from several hundred feet away.
“It’s not limited to elevation because again, slides that start well above you can run all the way down into the valley bottoms.”
He said outdoor enthusiasts should stay away from the backcountry until conditions improve.
“And we don’t anticipate it’s going to stabilize anytime soon.”
More information on backcountry conditions, including a daily avalanche forecast, can be found here.
