Overnight low temps in the -30s and short days greatly increase the risk associated with venturing in to the backcountry.
Be extra conservative when choosing an objective, and leave yourself lots of extra time by executing your exit plan early.
Moderate Southerly winds came with the storm, and then switched to downflowing N/NE winds as the cold air moved in. Watch for windslabs in unusual places, and lower on the slope than what is typical. Windslabs may step down deeper on solar slopes with a buried crust.
Watch for increased sluffing in steep terrain, as faceting from cold temps continues to weaken the upper snowpack.
A size 1.5 slab avalanche was observed Friday, from the South facing slope between Grizzly and Little Sifton.
Thursday morning, there was a natural size 3 slab avalanche in the NE facing start zone of the Crossover avalanche path (Mt MacDonald). The debris ran full path, stopping in the creek at valley bottom.
There were several natural and human triggered avalanches early in the week, failing in the new snow - see MINs for Video Peak and Forever Young.
Moderate winds (S/SW switching to N/NE) have redistributed 40-50cms of recent storm snow. This sits on: a sun crust on solar aspects; firm wind effect in the alpine; and soft facetted snow on sheltered N aspects.
Below 2100m there is a crust down 70-80cm (from Dec 5th/6th).
The Dec 1 surface hoar layer is down 90-120cm and is decomposing. However, it is still reactive in isolated snowpack tests.
Temps will gradually moderate as the cold arctic ridge slowly retreats Eastward.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Alpine low -31°C. Light East ridge wind.
Sunday: Mixed sun and cloud. Alpine High -20°C. Light NE wind.
Mon: Cloudy periods. Low -21°C, High -16°C. Light W wind.
Tues: Flurries (6cm). Low -17°C, High -12°C. Light SW wind.
