Observe for the bond of the recent snow to previous surfaces before committing to consequential terrain.
Around 10 to 30 cm of recent snow sits on various surfaces, including weak surface hoar crystals and hard wind-affected snow or crusts. Storm slabs could be triggered in areas sheltered from the wind and wind slabs in exposed terrain at higher elevations.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear skies with no precipitation, 10 to 20 km/h northwest wind, alpine temperature -24 C.
WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 2 to 5 cm, 40 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -20 C.
THURSDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 to 15 cm, 40 to 60 km/h west wind, alpine temperature -11 C.
FRIDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 20 to 40 cm, 60 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -5 C.
The recent snow was reactive on Monday, generally failing as small loose dry avalanches in steep terrain, but some observations of storm and wind slabs.
Looking forward to the coming days, slab avalanche activity is expected to increase once the recent snow settles and forms a cohesive slab. Human triggering remains elevated, particularly where the snow sits on the surface hoar described in the snowpack summary.
Around 15 to 30 cm of recent snow has accumulated, which may remain touchy to riders. The snow may sit on weak surface hoar crystals in areas sheltered from the wind, which may also sit above a hard melt-freeze crust on sun-exposed slopes. Expect to find wind slabs in steep terrain at higher elevations, as the snow fell with strong wind from varying directions.
The lower snowpack is generally strong and well-bonded. The base of the snowpack is expected to be weak and faceted in shallow, rocky slopes east of the divide.
