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Avalanche safety specialists say their job has become more difficult in recent years as climate change brings extreme weather and surging numbers of skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers visit backcountry areas since the pandemic.
As Wesley Mlaskoch motored his snowmobile across a mountain in the Montana backcountry, the slope above him collapsed into a thick slab and began rushing down the hillside.
“We've seen it happen over and over again,” Stewart said. “These elk have been figuring this stuff out for several thousand years. I guess practice makes perfect.”
Elk populations have blossomed south of Red Lodge in the wake of a devastating 2021 wildfire that swept across 30,000 acres between the community and the Wyoming state line.
“We've seen it happen over and over again,” Stewart said. “These elk have been figuring this stuff out for several thousand years. I guess practice makes perfect.”