Adjust your approach to terrain as you gain elevation.
Wind slabs are the main hazard at higher elevations, while early season hazards exist just below the snow surface at lower elevations.
Exposed terrain is highly wind affected. Wind slabs could still be found on north and west aspects.
Wind slabs will be more reactive where they overlie facets or surface hoar.
A size 1.5 skier-triggered avalanche was reported on Tuesday on a north-east aspect. This avalanche ran on the surface hoar described in the snowpack summary. Check out this Mountain Information Network report for more details.
A few small, natural wind slab avalanches were observed on westerly aspects by our field team on Thursday. These avalanches likely occurred over the past 24 to 48 hours.
5 to 10 cm of previous storm snow overlies old wind-affected snow and wind slab.
On sheltered features, a new surface hoar layer is down up to 20 cm. The early November crust is buried at about 60 cm and may have small facets above it in these locations.
At treeline, the snowpack depth ranges from 60 to 80 cm, decreasing to about 30 cm at valley bottom.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear skies. 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
