Cornices often break further back than expected; give them a wide berth when travelling on ridge tops. Wet loose avalanches may occur on sunny slopes in the afternoon.
Observations are limited at this time of year. Let us know what you are seeing by filling out a MIN report!
Cornices may be weak and reactive to human triggers. Give them a wide berth when travelling on ridges. They are a significant hazard alone and may produce large slab avalanches as they fall onto the slope below. Cornice falls are more likely when the weather is sunny, warm, or windy.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Partially cloudy. Alpine temperature drops to -5 °C. 10-25 km/h wind from the northwest.
SUNDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks. Alpine temperature rising to 0 °C. Light northwest wind.
MONDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries, trace accumulation. Alpine temperature rising to 1 °C. 20-50 km/h wind from the southeast.
TUESDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, 10-15 cm of accumulation. Alpine temperature rising to 0 °C. 10-45 km/h wind from the southeast.
Avalanche activity in the last week has consisted of large cornice failures on north and east-facing slopes. For the most part, these have not triggered avalanches on the slopes below. There were also a few small (size 1) human-triggered wind slab avalanches in alpine terrain (see photos of this remotely-triggered wind slab from Wednesday).
At treeline and above up to 20 cm consolidated and wind-affected snow covers a crust on all aspects to 2200 m and up to mountain tops on solar aspects. Recent northeast wind has formed wind slabs on lee aspects below ridgetops and left a variety of wind-affected surfaces. Another prominent crust layer is found 40-80 cm deep. Cornices are very large and exposure to slopes beneath them should be minimized, especially if the weather is sunny, warm, or windy.
