First tracks down Saddle!!!

Ya ya ya, most the websites I visit don't really relay any direct benefit to my well-being or future success, but this week, the tables have turned. Admittedly, when I first came to Bozeman, my knowledge in the realm of backcountry safety in the winter was nill. I still am no guru, but I like to think I can make educated decisions regarding snowpack and terrain assessment. I owe what knowledge I do have almost exclusively to the friendly folks at the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center and the programs they set up. 

MTavalanche.com is the homepage of the center, and contains a wealth of knowledge. Each and every day, either Mark Staples, Doug Chabot or Eric Knoff wake up and deliver an advisory for each mtn range around Bozeman. This may include, but isn't limited to: the "danger level," persistent weak layers, or even how much water content the new powder fell with. The website also includes a ton of photos and videos of slides and results of Rouche block tests from around the Bozeman area.

In addition to sharing their expertise on avalanche conditions around the area, and website also includes another extremely useful resource. They provide weather information from multiple sites on all 3 of the resorts, and other popular backcountry destinations. Some of these feeds are provided by the resorts, some from purchased and donated equipment, and some from SNO-TEL sites. Depending on what the station offers, a person can find out tidbits of info such as: temp, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, snow depth and new snow fall. All this knowledge really helps in a person's decision of where and when to step into the backcountry.

Bridger Bowl 48-Hour Weather from the Bridger weather station
     as of March 11th, 2012 at 8:00 PM

    DATE    TIME     AIR     AVG     AVG     MAX     NEW
                    TEMP    WIND    WIND    WIND    SNOW
                           SPEED     DIR   SPEED    FALL
--------------------------------------------------------
   03 11    2000    34.2      24     SSE      44     0.2
   03 11    1900    35.7      16     SSE      37     0.2
   03 11    1800    37.5      17       S      48       0
   03 11    1700    39.4      17     SSE      38       0
   03 11    1600    40.4      20     SSE      44       0
   03 11    1500    43.7      15     SSE      30       0
   03 11    1400    45.9      13     SSE      30       0
   03 11    1300      44      15     SSE      34       0
   03 11    1200    41.7      14     SSE      32       0
   03 11    1100    42.9      10     SSE      19       0
   03 11    1000    39.8      12       S      21       0
   03 11    0900    37.2      11     SSE      19       0
   03 11    0800      33       9       S      17     0.3
   03 11    0700    31.2       8       S      15     0.3
   03 11    0600    30.2       4      SW       9     0.3
   03 11    0500    29.7       2      SW       5     0.4
   03 11    0400    31.4       2     SSW       7     0.3
   03 11    0300       0       0       N       0       0
   03 11    0300    31.6       3     SSW       7     0.4
   03 11    0100      33       2       S       7     0.3
   03 11    0000      34       2       S       6     0.3

Another resource on the site is a listing of education opportunities. Whether it be attending the short intro lectures at MSU, or sporting good stores around Bozeman, or going on to get level 1 or level 2 certified, it is imperative to get some help in assessing terrain and snowpack. As you can see by scrolling through the photos section of the site, more and more people are going into the backcountry, and more and more human-caused slides are occuring. Winter in Montana, or any other place with a continental snowpack, can be extremely dangerous, and is underestimated frequently. Get educated, make good decisions, stay alive. 

Saddle Peak, popular slack-country bro-brah destination. Feb. 2010. Notice the masses of tracks that occured before it actually slid.