Continue to choose simple, mellow terrain. Signs of buried weak layers may be hard to find.
Be especially cautious on high north-facing slopes, and steep slopes in the sun.
The persistent weak layer has recently produced several large to very large avalanches. It remains a concern where there is no thick, supportive crust near the surface.
Thurs: No new avalanches were reported, but snowpack tests done by our field team east of Elkford suggest that the persistent weak layer is still triggerable by humans.
Looking forward: Avalanches on buried weak layers may be difficult to trigger, but if one is triggered, it is likely to be large and destructive.
5-10 cm of recent snow covers a widespread melt-freeze crust up to 20 cm thick that exists at all elevations on slopes facing the sun, and on all aspects below treeline. Westerly winds formed slightly deeper, denser pockets in leeward terrain. These wind slabs are likely starting to bond to the crust below.
The main feature of the region's overall shallow snowpack is a persistent weak layer of surface hoar or facets from late January now buried 40 to 60 cm deep (see photo below). This layer was the cause of several avalanches last week.
Thursday Night
Clear. 15 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to valley bottom. Treeline low -7 °C.
Friday
Sunny. 40 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising to 2000 m. Treeline high 0 °C.
Saturday
Partly cloudy. 30 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to near valley bottom overnight, rising to 2000 m through the day.
Sunday
Partly cloudy with isolated flurries, up to 7 cm above 1500 m. 30 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around 0 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
