The MODERATE rating is not intended to be a green light for committing terrain. Natural avalanche activity has largely subsided though human triggered avalanches are still possible.
Strong southwesterly winds have blown recent snow into stiff wind slabs in lee features at alpine and treeline. Human triggering of wind slabs is possible.
As temperatures trend warmer and freezing levels rise, there is potential for the deep basal weak layers to become active. Deep persistent slab avalanches on these layers are most likely to be triggered from shallow snowpack areas near rocky outcroppings.
Thursday night: Flurries. Moderate to strong southwesterly winds. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Friday: Up to 5 cm new snow. Moderate to strong southwesterly winds. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Saturday: Flurries. Light southwesterly winds. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Saturday: Flurries. Light southwesterly winds. Freezing level around 1500 m.
No new avalanche observations in the previous 3 days. On Monday we received reports of natural and explosive triggered wind slab avalanches size 1.5-2.
On January 16th, a natural size 2 wind slab stepped down to the deep persistent basal facets below a rock band, details here.
Recent strong westerly winds have formed stiff wind slabs in exposed terrain at alpine and treeline. A crust can be found at lower elevations and on solar aspects due to recent daytime warming and sun exposure.
A well consolidated mid-snowpack overlies a generally weak basal snowpack. The bottom 10-20 cm of the snowpack consists of facets and deteriorating crusts. There is potential for this deep persistent layer to reawaken in the warm alpine temperatures this week.
