West Slopes South

Temperatures should start to cool this weekend as the end of our dry spell draws closer. This will maintain generally safe avalanche conditions but elevate the hazard resulting from firm surfaces. Be sure you have the right equipment and travel plan to prevent you from slipping and taking a long and dangerous fall.

An incoming storm should reach the zone on Saturday night, marking an end of a significant January dry spell. During this period, temperatures have soared and we have been dealing with a diurnal springlike snowpack. Slopes that see direct sunshine have been firmest in the morning before softening throughout the day. On slopes that do not see direct sunshine, a mixed bag of surfaces exist. This includes firm and icy, discontinuous wind pockets, breakable crust, or soft faceted snow. On Saturday, expect some breezy winds and some clouds out ahead of the incoming storm. This may keep upper elevations cooler than they have been for days and could limit the amount of softening that occurs on slopes that see direct sunshine. 

Just because the hazard is low, doesn’t mean that avalanches aren’t possible. It’s just that the likelihood is lower. If you find that the sun is strong and snow surfaces are softening, you could see some small avalanches. If you are plunging into wet snow deeper than your ankle, start thinking about wet loose slides on steep slopes. Precariously hanging blocks of snow and ice on rocky ledges or in the form of cornices may fail during bouts of warm weather. Choose travel routes that put plenty of space between you and these potential hazards. 

The largest hazard you may face on Saturday is just traveling around in the mountains. Firm and icy conditions are prevalent and require that you bring the required equipment to help prevent you from slipping and falling long distances uncontrollably. Falling a long way is obviously a scary proposition, but you don’t have to slide very far to be injured if terrain traps are involved. Choose travel routes that minimize this hazard by staying away from cliffs or other downslope dangers. 

NWAC forecasters in the Crystal area on Friday reported finding weak snow on and near the surface of the current snowpack. With the hope of new snow on the horizon this weekend, we would like your help tracking current snow surfaces throughout the zone. If you’re out and about, please let us know what the snow is like. We want to hear if you are finding strong surfaces too, not just weak ones. Send a picture and your location through our public observation platform. Don’t worry if you’re not entirely sure what you're seeing, we’ll do the dirty work and figure it out. Thanks in advance!