Human-triggered wind slabs are possible and may be more reactive where they have formed over a surface hoar layer or temperature crust.
Don't commit to steep slopes if the snow feels dense.
Wind slabs have developed over various surfaces of soft snow, surface hoar and old wind affected surfaces. Continued human triggered avalanche activity suggest these wind slabs still need time to settle and bond to previous surfaces.
A mix of human triggered size 1 to 1.5 wind slab and storm slab avalanches were reported on Saturday throughout the region.
This MIN report near Decker Mountain from Saturday shows a heavily wind affected surface and human-triggered size 1.
Reports of a Surface Hoar layer in the area at treeline could see this problem linger.
Up to 25 cm of wind affected snow is sitting on a mix of old surfaces, including a layer of surface hoar in sheltered treeline areas, pockets of recent wind slab, and hard melt-freeze crusts in previously exposed terrain.
Since the melt-freeze crust formed and then was buried on December 16, a total of 150 cm of snow has accumulated and is settling.
Above 2200 m, this crust is absent and an old crust complex and faceted snow from November is found at the base of the snowpack instead.
Sunday Night
Cloudy. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Monday
Mix of sun and clouds. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level rising through the day.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2100 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
