Avalanche advisory issued for northwest Montana

An urgent avalanche warning was issued Wednesday afternoon for mountain ranges in Northwest Montana.

Flathead National Forest avalanche expert Stan Bones issued a special advisory rating the avalanche danger as “high.”

“Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended,” states the advisory, which applies to elevations between 4,500 and 7,500 feet on all steep, open slopes and gullies.

Natural avalanches are likely and human-triggered avalanches are very likely because of wind, rapidly rising temperatures and heavy precipitation as either snow or rain.

The warning applies to Glacier National Park and the Flathead and Kootenai national forests.

The warning comes two days after a Washington snowmobiler died in an avalanche in the Lost Johnny area near Hungry Horse Reservoir.

That death was the second this month in Northwest Montana due to avalanches. On Feb. 1 a backcountry skier died in an avalanche in Jewel Basin.

So far this winter, a total of five people have died in avalanches in Montana.

Avalanche warnings also are in effect for other areas in the state.

The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center issued a backcountry avalanche warning for all slopes in the Bridger Range.

The West Central Montana Avalanche Center issued an avalanche warning for the mountains of west central Montana above 5,000 feet.

The center also extended its avalanche warning for the northern mountains in the Rattlesnake, southern Swans and southern Mission Mountains near Seeley Lake.