Avalanche danger ramped up to high

With rain in the valleys and a wet heavy snow in the higher terrain, the avalanche danger has been ramped up to high, the Glacier Country Avalanche Center is warning.

“Because of heavy new snowfall, combined with a rapid rise in air temperature, unstable snow is likely on steep, open terrain in all of the mountainous areas of Northwestern Montana,” Stan Bones of the Glacier Country Avalanche Center said. “Both natural and human triggered loose snow and slab avalanches are likely. Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Extensive skill, experience, and local knowledge are essential to safely travel in the backcountry currently.”

The snow level is right around 5,000 feet. A check of remote SNOTEL sites shows rain at lower elevation sites like Emery Creek up the Hungry Horse Reservoir, but snow at higher sites like Flattop Mountain in Glacier National Park.

The Emery Creek site has seen about an inch of rain in the past 24 hours. Rain is expected to continue through Thursday (Jan. 8) and switch over to snow Thursday night. The avalanche danger is expected to remain high through the weekend, Bones said.

Avalanches have already proven dangerous in the area. About 20 miles north of the border eight snowmobilers were killed recently when two avalanches washed over their sleds.