Skier eludes slide; more snow ahead

A skier was able to ski out of an avalanche Christmas Day in Glacier National Park.

The lone skier triggered the avalanche around 1:15 p.m. after taking about four or five turns on the slope, according to a report filed with the Flathead Avalanche Center (www.flatheadavalanche.org).

The skier was able to ski out of the moving slab and get off to one side of the slide. The avalanche traveled about 1,000 feet down the mountain.

The skier witnessed several other small pockets of avalanches moving through the trees.

An avalanche warning issued Wednesday by the center has expired, although a new storm expected to hit Northwest Montana this weekend may deliver heavy snow and increase the slide danger again.

Another avalanche incident on Christmas Day involved a ski patroller at Whitefish Mountain Resort during avalanche control operations in the Hellroaring Basin area.

Described as a “near miss” on the avalanche center website, the incident involved a “ski patroller cutting a slope that released with a slab avalanche 2 feet in depth, 50 feet wide and ran 600 feet vertical to the valley floor.” No one was injured.

The National Weather Service predicts an incoming storm will produce moderate to heavy snow starting today across Northwest Montana.

A winter storm watch issued by the Weather Service predicts 4 to 8 inches of snow in valleys and 8 to 12 inches at higher elevations. The storm watch is in effect from this morning through Monday morning.

By Sunday, afternoon, gusty northeast winds are expected to cause low visibility.

Winds are forecast at 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph, especially over Marias Pass, through Bad Rock Canyon and into the northern Flathead Valley.

The wind chill may reach 10 to 20 degrees below zero by Monday morning.

The storm will drop temperatures in the Flathead Valley. Monday’s high temperature is predicted to be 7 degrees with the low Tuesday morning of minus 3.