Carefully assess the wind slab hazard as you gain elevation. Increasing winds will quickly redistribute loose snow.
Recent winds have formed slabs in exposed terrain on north and east aspects. Increasing winds will quickly redistribute loose snow encouraging fresh wind slab development.
Large cornices have been observed in the region. Limit your time on slopes with these hazards above them.
Wind has redistributed snow into pressed surfaces and pockets of windslab at treeline and higher. At lower elevations a crust can be found up to 1200 m and higher elevations on solar aspects.
The middle of the snowpack is reported to be strong and well settled with facetted snow near the ground. Take note, cornices are large and looming.
Friday night: Cloudy with flurries, up to 5 cm snow. Moderate increasing to strong southwesterly wind. Ridgetop low -10 C.
Saturday: Cloudy and unsettled with light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Moderate to strong southeast winds. Ridgetop high of -3 C.
Sunday: Stormy, 5-15 cm of new snow. Strong southeasterly winds. Ridgetop high of -5 C.
Monday: Flurries, another 5 cm expected by morning. Southerly wind decreasing quickly. Ridgetop high of -2 C.
On Wednesday our field team observed natural dry loose avalanches on all aspects to size 1.5. While in the field they also observed wind transport and new wind slab formation.
