Natural avalanche activity has abated, but human triggered avalanches are still possible. Pay attention to wind loading as you make your way into the alpine and continue to make conservative terrain choices.
Recent SW winds have created wind slabs in alpine and exposed treeline terrain. Human triggering of these slabs are still possible, especially in steeper lee features.
The bottom of the snowpack is very weak and consists of layers of surface hoar, facets, depth hoar, and occasionally a crust. Human triggering of this deep persistent layer is possible, and any avalanche has the potential to run further than expected due to the weak snowpack.
A large natural avalanche was observed in the alpine on Mount Fairview on Friday. Sunshine reported 2 small natural avalanches (size 1) in the alpine on Sunday. Otherwise no new natural avalanches reported since Saturday.
Recent mod-strong SW winds and last Thursday's storm snow have created wind slabs in the alpine and exposed tree-line terrain. Below this is a semi-supportive mid-pack that may include a rain crust of various thickness up to 2300m. The base of the snowpack consists of weak facets and depth hoar. Tree-line snow depths range from 50-90 cm.
Light flurries with minimal accumulation are forecasted along the continental divide through Friday. Ridgetop winds will be SW, light to moderate on Tuesday, picking up a bit on Wednesday and then forecasted to be strong on Thursday. Temperatures will be relatively mild with freezing levels near valley bottom.
For more information, click Mountain Weather Forecast.
