Splitboard.com Forums

Will and his employees from Spark R&D pop up all over town in Bozeman. They've sponsored a couple film events this season and today I noticed they were the sponsors of our daily avalanche bulletin.


Current Avalanche Advisory

9 January 2009

Good Morning. This is Ron Johnson with the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Advisory issued on Friday, January 9 at 7:30 a.m. Spark R&D and Big Sky Youth Empowerment Project, in cooperation with the Friends of the Avalanche Center, sponsor today’s advisory. This advisory does not apply to operating ski areas.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Another round of snowfall began yesterday afternoon and continues this morning. At 6:00 a.m., 3-5 inches had accumulated in the mountains around Bozeman. The mountains around Big Sky got 6-8 inches and 1-3 inches fell in the mountains around West Yellowstone. The mountains around Cooke City continue to get pummeled with new snow. The addition of 10 more inches means that 2-3 feet accumulated during the past 3 days. This morning northwest ridgetop winds were blowing 15-30 mph and mountain temperatures were in the teens F.

After depositing 1-2 inches, snowfall will cease by noon. West to northwesterly ridgetop winds will blow 20 mph and by this afternoon mountain temperatures will warm to the 20’s F.

SNOWPACK AND AVALANCHE DISCUSSION

The Bridger, northern Gallatin and northern Madison Ranges:

Yesterday my partner and I were in the Bridger Range north of Ross Peak. We saw several fracture lines and debris from avalanches that probably released on Wednesday. All of the avalanches we saw occurred on steep wind-loaded slopes. We dug snowpits on non wind-loaded slopes and our stability tests indicated stable snow. We avoided all wind-loaded slopes and enjoyed good, creamy skiing. We heard but didn’t see a group of snowmobilers riding nearby. One of the riders sent an e-mail last evening reporting that they saw the same avalanches we had seen but more importantly they had triggered an avalanche. It occurred on a steep wind-loaded slope. Both riders were savvy of the avalanche conditions and were well away from harms way. Their observations were timely and most appreciated. Ski patrollers at Bridger Bowl noted a large avalanche released naturally Wednesday or Wednesday night on a steep wind-loaded slope on the west side of Saddle Peak.

Ski patrollers at Big Sky reported that the many newly formed wind slabs didn’t react to ski cuts or explosives but a large avalanche triggered with explosives on Wednesday at the Yellowstone Club indicates that large destructive avalanches remain a concern.

On Wednesday I was in the northern Gallatin Range and found stable snow on non wind-loaded slopes. Yesterday I choose to ski only non wind-loaded slopes because my partner and I felt that we would probably trigger an avalanche on steep wind-loaded slopes. I believe that is the case today and a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger exits on all wind-loaded slopes. A MODERATE danger exists on non wind-loaded slopes.

The southern Gallatin and southern Madison Ranges, including the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone:

Weak faceted snow near the ground persists in the mountains around West Yellowstone. During the past three days 6-12 inches of snow accumulated in these mountains. While this isn’t a huge amount of snow it does keep the snowpack unstable enough to warrant a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger on all slopes.

The mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:

Since Monday, over 3 inches of snow water equivalence accumulated in the mountains around Cooke City. This means that 2-3 feet of new snow was added to a snowpack that has weak faceted snow surrounding an ice layer buried 2-4 feet deep. Strong winds have drifted this snow onto the lee side of ridges and gullies and the resulting wind slabs will avalanche. Today the avalanche danger on recently wind-loaded slopes remains HIGH. A CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger exists on non wind-loaded slopes.

AVALANCHE EDUCATION

A FREE 4-hour Avalanche Awareness workshop will be held in Helena on Saturday, January 10th from 10-2 pm. It’s at the MACO Building at the Helena Airport.

For more information on this workshop and others scheduled later this season, check out our website at: http://www.mtavalanche.com/education/index.shtml

Mark will issue the next advisory tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. If you get out in the backcountry give us a call or send us an email with your observations. You can reach us at 587-6984 or at mtavalanche@gmail.com.

Gallatin National Forest AVALANCHE CENTER | 10 E. Babcock St. | Bozeman, Montana 59715

http://www.mtavalanche.com | mtavalanche@gmail.com | Recorded Information: 587-6981 | Office: 587-6984

Will's definitely got networking skills - however, I think his strongest asset is that he's a great guy that has come up with a great product that tons of us willingly & voluntarily give props to for its quality & performance. Then he backs it with great service & follow through. What could possibly be wrong with that?

I've noticed that too. Will is great at networking, he's everywhere it seems.

While sb.com has a slight disadvantage with advertisers and affiliates as opposed to a mfg I definitely wish I could do better in this area and could learn something from Will. Feel free to share any tactics on the back end if you can Will and congrats!