The upper snowpack is heavily wind effected. Seek out sheltered terrain at treeline and below where you can avoid wind slabs and find good riding.
Days are short and temperatures are cold! Keep your objectives conservative and close to home.
Recent strong northeasterly winds have likely formed wind slabs on lee features at treeline and above.
These wind slabs are most likely to be found on south and westerly aspects, but older wind slabs may be found on all aspects.
These wind slabs may remain reactive for longer than is typical because they are sitting on weak facets (sugary snow).
Wednesday Overnight: Partially cloudy, light to moderate southeast winds. Alpine temperatures around -32 C.
Thursday: Partially cloudy with light flurries. Light to moderate southeast winds. Alpine temperatures around -30 C.
Friday: Partially cloudy with light flurries. Alpine temperatures rising to -25 C. Light to moderate northwest winds.
Saturday: Mainly cloudy with flurries, up to 5 cm accumulation. Alpine temperatures around -25 C with strong to extreme southwest winds.
No new avalanches have been observed in the past 24 hours.
If you are out in the mountains, let us know what you see by filling out a Mountain Information Network report! ?
Easterly winds may continue to form reactive wind slabs on lee features at all elevations.
Recently formed wind slabs are most likely to be found on south and westerly aspects, but older wind slabs may be found on all aspects. Recently formed wind slabs may remain reactive to human triggers for longer than is typical due to the weak facets (sugary snow) they are sitting on.
The base of the snowpack is composed of crusts and weak faceted grains, particularly in thin snowpack areas. These deeply buried weak layers will create large, destructive avalanches if triggered.
Avoid likely trigger spots such as steep, rocky slopes, with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack.
