New snow has refreshed the skiing in some areas and good skiing is being found around treeline on shaded and sheltered aspects.
Sensitivity and consequence of this new slab may be increasing with incremental loading. These slabs are sitting on previous hard surfaces (old wind slabs, temperature and sun crusts).
Persistent slabs sit over different weak layers depending on elevation & aspect. Above 1950m a buried facet layer down 20-40cm is the primary concern. Below 1950m, a faceting crust down 40-70 is presenting a more stubborn version of a similar problem
Thursday: Cloudy with scattered flurries. Accumulation: 4 cm. High -5 C. Ridge wind west: 20 km/h gusting to 50 km/h
Friday: Cloudy with scattered flurries. Accumulation: 5 cm. Low -7 C, High -4 C. Ridge wind west: 20 km/h gusting to 45 km/h
Saturday: Flurries. Accumulation: 6 cm. Low -10 C, High -7 C. Ridge wind west: 20 km/h gusting to 60 km/h
5 to 15cm new snow (past 48hrs) across the bulletin region accompanied by moderate Westerly winds has formed slabs in immediate lees in the alpine and exposed tree line. New snow burying weak temperature crust up to 1900m and solar crust on solar aspects up to 2800m. Dec Facets down 20-70cm. Basal faceting & depth hoar widespread throughout area.
No new avalanche activity observed or reported over the last 3 days.
