Windslab avalanches at and above treeline are the main concern on Thursday, especially as you increase in elevation. We have seen a week of continuous windslab avalanches through Wednesday. As the sky clears and you are tempted to venture into more complex terrain, keep this problem front brain.
Windslabs will continue to be a problem on N and E facing slopes at and above treeline. I expect the problem to trend in the direction of stability, but still pose a real threat. A cornice drop on a North facing slope at Tam Rim produced another large avalanche on Wednesday. The slabs are up to 16" thick. Avoid steep slopes near ridgetops, look for signs of wind drifted snow, pillows and cracking.
Hopefully this is the last day this problem apears on the list... we haven't seen any slides on this since last Friday. Test profiles have shown a trent toward bonding... That said, there has been a lack of COAC and Public observations in the Alpine... and therefor a lack of confidence in the Alpine snowpack. As the sun starts to poke out and we venture up high, keep this problem in mind. If the persistent weak layer still exists, its just above a rain crust 2-3' down. Its pretty easy to dig that far down and get a look for yourself. It might take a cornice fall or windslab stepping down to set it off.
Thursday will be temping to "step out" ... or better yet "tip toe out" in regards to avalanche terrain and sunny weather. I have been sticking to very conservative terrain for the past week... I am hoping to open that up a touch. But to do that I'll need to build some confindece in the snowpack. Cutting small test slopes, jumping on small rollers, digging in the snowpack etc.. Hedge toward avoiding steep convex rolls, steep slopes at ridgetops, trigger points and unsupported slopes.
Lower elevation slopes...especially South facing slopes might see some loose wet snow mid day.
