The winter permit system remains in place and all permit areas are closed today.
Weather Forecast
The forecast calls for deteriorating weather throughout the day. A low pressure system from the pacific works into our region bringing cloudy skies and isolated showers this afternoon while freezing level reaches 3400m. Tonight and into Sunday, winter returns as freezing levels drop to 1800m and we receive 30 cm of snow.
Snowpack Summary
We are into a melt freeze cycle. This morning we had a minimal recovery with temperatures just below zero at valley bottom and less of a recovery higher with an overnight inversion and temperatures of 6C at 1900m at 0700. There may be some dry snow on North aspects above 2400m. Cornices are large and will weaken with the rising temperatures.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous natural avalanches to size 3.5 and artillery controlled avalanches to size 3 yesterday.
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.