Watch for isolated terrain features with pockets of wind slab that remain possible for human triggering.
A small avalanche in extreme terrain can have serious consequences.
In the alpine you will find extensive wind-effect including scouring, sastrugi, and hard wind slab. Human-triggering wind slabs on isolated features remain possible.
No recent avalanches have been reported, but observations are limited this time of year.
Thank you for the MIN reports! They are extremely helpful to us in the early season when snowpack information is limited. If you head into the backcountry please submit a MIN report!
The 10 - 15 cm of new snow from the last few days has been redistributed into firm wind slabs at higher elevations. In isolated areas at treeline and below new snow is buried a layer of small surface hoar and facets. This layer has not shown recent signs of instability.
New snow and wind slabs overlie heavily wind-affected surfaces well into treeline. A faceting crust from mid-November can be found down 60 cm within the midpack and is reportedly bonding well.
Snowpack depth at treeline is 100 cm and alpine is at +120 cm however depths are variable from wind effect. Many early-season hazards exist below treeline such as rocks, stumps, and open creeks.
Friday Night
Cloudy with isolated flurries, trace accumulation. Ridge winds southwesterly 30 - 40 km/h. Temperatures are -12 at 1500 m. Freezing levels valley bottom.
Saturday
Cloudy with sunny periods, isolated flurries, trace accumulation. Ridgetop winds will be easterly 40 km/h. Temperatures are -10 at 1500 m. Freezing levels valley bottom.
Sunday
Mix of sun and cloud. Ridge winds northerly 20 - 30 km/h. Temperatures are -12 at 1500 m. Freezing levels valley bottom.
Monday
Mix of sun and cloud. Ridge winds northerly 20 - 30 km/h. Possible inversion with alpine temperatures reaching a high of -4 and low of -11. Freezing levels valley bottom.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
