Although conditions have improved, this is not the time to be skiing aggressive lines, as evidenced by the close call on Sunday (see Avalanche Summary). The bottom half of the snowpack is made up of large facets and multiple buried crusts exist within the snowpack. These are still very much skier-triggerable with a Moderate hazard rating.
Isolated windslabs in alpine areas along ridgelines. These slabs do not appear to extend far downslope. Be sure to assess local wind affect in areas you are travelling.
This layer is the Feb 2 crust. More prominent on polar aspects.
Facets near the base of the snowpack may be triggered from thin areas. Low probability, high consequence avalanches should be in your mind.
No new avalanche observed or reported today.
One skier triggered avalanche size 3 occurred in Tent Bowl on Sunday. The avalanche was triggered after the fourth turn and the skier was carried down with it and buried up to their neck, but without any injuries. The avalanche depth varied from thin to thick with evidence of the March 20 interface, the February 2 crust, the basal facets and the ground. Some of the blocks were the size of a Ferrari. Please see the MIN report at https://avalanche.ca/map?panel=mountain-information-network-submissions%2F3a547b44-ea29-11ee-97c1-0a58a9feac02
Surface crusts have formed on all terrain that is even slightly tipped towards the sun. On northerly aspects there is 15-20cm of recent storm snow. Winds have created some wind slabs in the alpine, including some reverse wind loading by northerly winds. All of this is overlying the March Temperature crust(down about 20cm) that is found on all aspects except high pure north alpine areas. So far, the bond with the new snow and the underlying crust is good. Deeper in the snowpack the February 3rd crust still exists but avalanche activity on this layer has decreased since the warm temps last week have settled out the snowpack. Recent snow profiles show that over half of the snowpack is made of large basal facets. It is still worth digging and poking down to evaluate this layer.
We are already in a Spring pattern with cold nights, warm days and convective flurries. Wednesday is expected to bring a mixed bag of clouds, scattered flurries and of course, some sun. Winds will around the 40km/hr at ridgetop, along with a freezing level of 2200m.
Be aware that when the sun does come out it packs a punch at this time of year and snow stability will quickly deteriorate on the solar aspects. Thin cloud can also lead to a "Greenhouse Effect" that can make the upper snowpack moist and unstable. Lots going on in Spring!
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
