Recent snow may not bond well to previous surfaces. Expect to find more reactive deposits around ridges and steep rolls. Conservative terrain travel is recommended.
Use extra caution in areas with a thin, uniform snowpack (less than 100 cm). These areas are inherently weak, with heavily faceted snow and crusts closer to the surface, making them easier to trigger.
Storm slabs will likely remain reactive to triggering. Expect to find the touchiest deposits under ridgetop features or steep rolls.
Solar input may increase sensitivity to triggering.
Over the past couple days storm and wind slab avalanches up to size 2 have been reported throughout the region. These avalanches were triggered naturally, by skiers, and by explosives at all elevations. Most avalanches were triggered on north through east aspects.
30 to 60 cm of new snow covers a variety of old surfaces, including surface hoar in wind-sheltered terrain and a sun crust on steep south-facing slopes.
In the mid-snowpack, a melt-freeze crust from mid December can be found down 80 to 130 cm. This layer is most prevalent at 2000 m and below.
The lower snowpack consists of a thick melt-freeze crust, with facets and/or depth hoar near the ground in shallow areas.
Snow depths vary widely across the region, averaging roughly 100 to 200 cm at treeline.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy. 5 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 cm of snow. 15 to 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Thursday
Mix of sun and clouds. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Friday
Mix of sun and clouds. 2 to 3 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
