Watch for wind-loaded pockets, especially at ridge crests and in extreme terrain.
Seek out sheltered terrain to find preserved snow and the best riding.
New snow from the weekend and light southwest winds have built soft windslab in lees. As winds switch to the north tonight watch for reverse and cross-load slopes at higher elevations.
On Sunday explosives control triggered several size 1.5 wind slab avalanches on an east-facing aspect in the alpine. Avalanche released above a weak layer of surface hoar, crust, and faceted crystals.
Please submit a Mountain Information Network report if you are heading to the backcountry!
20 -30 cm of snow has been redistributed by southwest winds and has formed soft wind slabs in lees at higher elevations. As winds switch to the north watch for reverse loading and cross-loading in the surface slab. On south-facing slopes this snow sits on a sun crust and in sheltered terrain, it sits over a layer of weak surface hoar.
Buried 40 to 60cm deep, a layer of surface hoar, crust, and faceted crystals is a layer of concern. Observations are limited in this region but this layer has already produced avalanches in the neighboring regions.
Snowpack depths at upper treeline is around 80 - 100 cm.
Monday Night
Clear skies with light northerly ridge winds. Alpine temperatures, low of -8. Freezing levels valley bottom.
Tuesday
Mainly clear in the morning with clouds increasing in the afternoon. Northerly ridge wind 25 km/hr. Alpine temperatures, high of -4. Freezing levels 500m.
Wednesday
A mix of sun and cloud. Northwesterly ridge winds 40 - 60 km/hr. Alpine temperatures, high of -4. Freezing levels valley bottom.
Thursday
Clear skies. Northwesterly ridge winds 40 - 60 km/hr. Alpine temperatures, high of -5. Freezing levels valley bottom.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
