The main problem in Little Yoho is the Dec.10 persistent layer, but watch for thin areas which may step down to basal facet layers much like East of the divide.
Weather Forecast
Warmer temperatures (still below freezing) for Friday with no significant snow in the forecast. There may be some increased alpine winds tomorrow which should be watched for as this could increase the chances of natural avalanches.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 70 cm of recent snow with variable wind effect has put a dense load over the persistent weak layers. In thicker snow pack areas, the Dec. 10th weak layer of facets is now down 100-150cm with a stronger snowpack below. In thin snowpack areas, the Dec.10th layer is mixed in with the basal facets and October crust.
Avalanche Summary
There have been reports every day in the last while of large avalanches in the backcountry. A report today of numerous size 2.5-3 avalanches triggered likely by wind on Hwy 93N. These failed on the deep persistent basal Oct. 26 layer. This layer is less of a problem in Little Yoho but shows the fickle nature of the snowpack right now.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.