A hard crust exists at the base of the snowpack on steep northerly aspects above an elevation of 9,000 feet and on a variety of aspects above an elevation of 10,500 feet. Another crust formed when the freezing level rose to around an elevation of 9,800 feet last Friday. Careful evaluations of these crust layers as potential sliding surfaces are warranted. Terrain assessment efforts should consider the potential consequences of triggering a slide on one of these crust layers. Avalanches are unlikely below an elevation of 9,000 feet.
If a dense slab avalanche was triggered on Fridays crust it would be 6 to 18 inches deep. A slab triggered on the basal crust could be up to 2 feet deep. Small avalanches can cause serious injuries if skiers, riders or hunters are swept into rocky areas, over cliffs or into terrain traps.
Periods of clouds and snow showers will continue. Additional snowfall accumulations of several inches are expected. Temperatures will be in the teens. Winds will be from the west-southwest at 10 to 15 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW. Our shallow early season snowpack is mostly stable. Isolated areas of instability may exist in extreme terrain. Evaluate the snowpack and terrain carefully.
