Great conditions this week for backcountry touring and climbing, with variable reports of snow quality on the surface, but mostly good. Couloirs are in reasonably good shape, but watch for small pockets of windslab, especially on gully walls or at transition areas near the top, because here, even a small windslab has consequences.
Wind slabs may exist in the alpine on steep lee aspects resulting from south and west winds. Watch for drifted snow, and use any opportunities to test on small terrain features, and check the stability of the surface snow.
No new avalanches observed or reported.
The snow surface is a mix of crusts, wind slab and soft snow, and changes often within short distances, but soft powder is on the surface on the north aspects at treeline and sheltered alpine areas. Below this, lies a variety of crusts on solar aspects; dry snow on north aspects, and surface hoar/crust (Jan 24) down 15-30 cm around the treeline. Below this interface, the snowpack is generally strong and well settled.
Friday - Moderate SW winds, trace snow and treeline temperatures around -7C
Saturday - Moderate SW winds, 3-5cm of snow, and the same temperatures as Friday
Sunday - Trace snow, and similar winds and temperatures.
