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USFS Backcountry Warning: Avalanche Danger ‘High’ in Northwest Montana

By Beacon Staff

Recreationists are being asked to stay away from avalanche terrain in Northwest Montana as weather conditions have raised the danger level to “high.”

The Flathead National Forest issued a special backcountry avalanche warning on Wednesday afternoon, calling conditions “very dangerous” in the Glacier National Park and Flathead and Kootenai National Forest areas.

Avalanche Specialist Stan Bones issued the warning and said human-triggered avalanches are very likely between the elevations of 4,500 and 7,500 feet on all steep, open slopes and gullies. Natural avalanches are likely to occur in these areas and are predicted to be very large in size. Bones said there have been reports of natural and triggered avalanches occurring in many of the regional mountains.

The high rating is due to wind, rapid warming temperatures and heavy local precipitation combined with the current snowpack, the release said. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended until the current snowpack has time to settle and strengthen, Bones said.

A snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche near Hungry Horse on Monday.

Visit www.glacieravalanche.org for more information on avalanche conditions in the region.