Warm temperatures may increase reactivity by encouraging slab formation.
Choose conservative terrain, and watch for signs of instability like shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
Reactivity can be found where the snow acts as a cohesive slab. Expect this in the typical features - near ridgelines, convex rolls and in crossloaded terrain. However as temperatures rise, expect slab quality to increase everywhere.
Reactivity continued on Thursday, mainly in wind affected features at treeline and above where more slab properties exist in the storm snow. Previous naturally triggered slabs were observed near ridgelines. Riders and explosives triggered slabs to size 1.5
Check out all the great MIN reports from the last few days for a description of conditions!
Reports noted that storm snow is not bonding well to the old, hard surfaces below, which includes a crust or wind affected snow.
Southerly winds have redistributed recent snow at higher elevations, creating fresh and reactive slabs. At treeline and below, riding conditions are reportedly good, with less slab quality however rising temperatures are expected to create slabs at these elevations.
This new snow buries a variety of old wind-affected surfaces, crusts, and faceted (weak) snow crystals, which has shown to be bonding poorly so far.
The mid and lower snowpack consists of various old crusts and is considered well-settled and well-bonded.
Friday Night
Cloudy with 5-10 cm of snow expected, southwest winds 20-40 km/h and treeline temperatures around +2 °C. Freezing levels remain around 2000 m, with rain or wet snow expected at lower elevations.
Saturday
Cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. Southwest winds, 20 km/h. Freezing levels begin the day at 2000 m, dropping to 1500 m over the day. Treeline temperatures reach a maximum of +2 °C.
Sunday
Cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. southerly winds 20-40 km/h, treeline temperature -2 °C as freezing levels remain 1500 m.
Monday
Cloudy with 5-10 cm of snow. southerly winds 20 km/h, treeline temperatures may reach +3 °C as freezing levels rise towards 2500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
