Required reading for all MT backcountry riders: the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center (far and away the states best) released a well constructed summary of a survey they conducted recently. You can read the results here.  Some info is not surprising (the typical user is a 40ish male who skis on weekends). Some might be, such as that 24.8% of respondents had been caught in an avalanche, and that around half of those 120 respondents had been at least partially buried.

I find that last part scary.

We’re moving into another crucial time in the yearly avalanche cycle.  Cold temps and nuclear winds have created problematic conditions across the state, especially up high.  More new snow is in the forecast, and it looks likely to be warm snow.

You shouldn’t need any more reasons to be wary, but if you do, examine the photo below, courtesy Chris and Eszter in CB.

They had an incident that begs the question of just how conservative being conservative should be some times.

Thought provoking.