Look for areas where the surface snow is soft and avoid areas where the surface snow feels dense or "slabby".
Heavy triggers, like icefall or a cornice could produce large natural avalanches.
The wind has calmed down for now, but cold temperatures may be keeping previously formed wind slabs from bonding to the loose, dry snow below.
A weak layer of surface hoar and facets or a crust is 25 to 45 cm deep. This layer may be reactive to human-triggering where a slab has developed above it. Watch for signs of instability.
Friday: A small natural wind slab was was reported on a northeast aspect in the alpine and a large natural (size 2.5 was reported) starting as icefall on a northwest aspect in the alpine.
Thursday: A few small wind slab avalanches on north and east aspects were triggered natural and by riders.
Wednesday: Just beyond the region boundary to the east, a size 2.5 remote triggered avalanche was observed. see the report here.
25-45 cm of soft surface snow is faceting in sheltered terrain at treeline and below. This covers a layer of surface hoar buried in late January that may be as large as 15 mm in some places. The surface hoar sits on loose, faceted snow in shaded terrain, and a crust on steep slopes facing the sun.
In the alpine, exposed terrain is generally wind-affected, and there is likely no surface hoar included in the late January layer, just facets, old wind-affected surfaces, or a sun crust.
A weak layer of facets from early December is 60 to 120 cm deep.
The base of the snowpack consists of a thick crust with facets or depth hoar in many areas.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy with flurries. 10 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -19 °C.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. 10 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -15 °C.
Monday
Mostly sunny. 10 to 20 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -19 °C.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny. 10 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -16 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
