Overall our snowpack is hanging in there for avalanche problems. The dec 15th layer hasn't proven to be a problem just yet, but we need a bit more time to convince ourselves it is low hazard at treeline.
Weather Forecast
Relatively warm temps will continue with 2100m temperatures hitting -3 tomorrow. Skies will become more cloudy tonight, and continue to build as the week end nears. No snow will come with the cloud. Winds will gradually increase to 35km/hr tomorrow. Out of the west.
Avalanche Summary
A few newer loose dry "facalanches" in alpine terrain.
Snowpack Summary
Surface hoar continues to grow with the chilly, clear nights. Interestingly, there are bands of it from valley bottom to to about 1950 and then as you move higher it shows up again from 2000-2100, and then again at the top of treeline. It could very likely go higher, but we haven't traveled into the alpine lately. Aside from that, the most notable character of the snowpack is the very poor bond in the upper layers. The cold has taken a toll! Today we dug at treeline in the northern part of the region. The Nov crust was down about 60cm and well bonded despite there being facets above and below it. The deeper layers were also well bonded.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.