The snowpack is largely faceted and becoming less supportive, making for difficult travel below treeline. Significant sluffing should be expected in steep terrain which makes group management and terrain selection very important.
Weather Forecast
10cm of snow expected throughout the week in a series of light flurries. This snow will be accompanied by moderate Southwest winds. Temperatures expected to rise gradually, reaching a high of -2C in the alpine on Friday, then cooling. Freezing levels will reach 2100m on Friday then drop.
Snowpack Summary
Pockets of wind slab can be found in exposed terrain treeline and above. Recent 10cm of new snow has helped to freshen things up a bit, but along with moderate Southwest winds has increased the likelihood of touchy new wind slabs on lee aspects. Midpack is weak below treeline due to faceting.
Avalanche Summary
Field team ski cut a size 2 loose dry avalanche in steep terrain that ran 400m and entrained snow. This avalanche condition should be expected in steep terrain at treeline and below.
Problems
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.
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.