While ski quality has improved, keep in mind that low-likelihood/high-consequence avalanche problems are best managed with conservative terrain choices.
Winds from a variety of directions have formed small isolated wind slabs on multiple aspects in alpine lee areas over the Feb 3 interface. In some places, these can be triggered by humans. Use caution near ridgecrests and when entering steep, confined terrain.
Several persistent weak facet layers exist in the mid-pack and at the bottom of the snowpack. Sporadic avalanche activity continues on these layers and the theme seems to be rocky, steep, thin snowpack areas in the alpine. Triggering these deeper layers can result in large avalanches.
Ski areas are reporting reactivity of the recent snow that sits on the early Febuary crust. Resulting in avalanches up to size 1.5.
Skiers triggered a size 2.5 slab on a S aspect at 3050 m on Mt Vaux on Thursday while boot-packing.
A size 2 and 2.5 skier-triggered deep persistent slab at 2750 m on a SE aspect in the Cirque Forepeak area occurred Tuesday.
The deeper layers can still be triggered in thin snowpack areas at high elevations.
Suncrust on steep solar aspects. Isolated wind slabs in the alpine. 10-25 cm of facetted snow over the Feb 3 crust. The crust is found in most locations except above 2500 m on N aspects, and varies in thickness from 0.5-15 cm with a thicker crust in deeper snowpack areas and at lower elevations. Persistent weak facet layers remain present in the mid and bottom of the snowpack and have recently produced avalanches on the ground in rocky thin snowpack areas at higher elevations.
A few clouds during the day on Monday, become mainly cloudy at night, making isolated flurries a possibility for most regions. Moderate to strong westerly ridgetop winds. Freezing levels near valley bottom, with the alpine high of -6C during the day.
For more information be sure to check AvCan's Mountain Weather.
