Choose conservative, low consequence terrain.
The snowpack is complex and contains multiple layers of concern.
Strong outflow (northeast) winds have formed wind slabs on exposed features at all elevations. Be especially cautious near ridge crests and rollovers.
Up to a meter of snow overlies a weak layer, a crust and surface hoar layer, formed in mid-January. This layer may still be triggerable on slopes where the upper snowpack feels stiff or slabby.
A weak layer buried 150 to 300 cm remains a concern. Avoid shallow rocky areas where triggering this layer is more likely. If triggered the resulting avalanche would be very large and destructive.
On Saturday, a skier accidentally triggered a deep persistent slab, size 2, on a northeast aspect at 1700 m. The crown of the avalanche was 60 cm deep. This avalanche ran on the early December weak layer.
A few size 1.5, explosive triggered, wind slab avalanches were reported on Friday. These avalanches were on northwest aspects at treeline.
Previous strong northeast outflow wind has scour windward terrain and loaded south and west facing slopes at all elevations. In sheltered terrain 30 to 60 cm of faceted snow overlies a crust and layer of surface hoar from late January.
Another layer of surface hoar was buried near the middle of January and can be found 50 to 100 cm deep.
A weak layer of facets and a crust from early December is buried 150 to 300 cm. This layer remains a concern in this region.
Sunday Night
Clear. 10 to 20 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -16 °C, potential for inversion with warmer temperatures in the alpine.
Monday
Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C, potential for temperature inversion with warmer temperatures in the alpine.
Tuesday
Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C, potential for inversion with warmer temperatures in the alpine.
Wednesday
Mainly sunny. 15 to 25 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C, potential for inversion with warmer temperatures in the alpine.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
