Northwest Mountains

Avalanche conditions are generally safe.  Old, basal weak layers on the north half of the compass are becoming dormant and unreactive particularly in the Northwest Mountains.  Avalanches are unlikely but not impossible.  In extreme terrain where you find a shallow snowpack in rocky terrain due to wind redistribution, avalanches remain a potential.  Enjoy the generally safe avalanche conditions and continue to use safe travel habits like exposing only one person at a time to avalanche terrain and performing trailhead beacon checks.

The danger rating remains LOW, but a change was made today to forecast products.  In the Northwest Mountains, the Deep Persistent Slab problem was removed and no specific problem is currently listed.  The Northwest Mountains accumulated the most snow during the wet month of December.  The deep accumulations created incredibly thick, hard slabs above early-season weak layers near the ground.  Observations over the past few weeks, including this observation from East Beckwith yesterday, have shown continued improvement in basal weak layers like increased hardness and obvious rounding of snow grains (Video from East Beckwith).  Basal weak layers have dramatically improved, but are not "healed".  They are better described as dormant and unreactive until a major loading event occurs which could cause them to reactivate.  LOW danger does not mean NO danger.  If you choose to recreate in extreme terrain on the north half of the compass, avalanches remain a potential.  Shallow, rocky, and highly wind-affected terrain will always leave an element of avalanche hazard that is often magnified by the exposed and consequential nature of extreme terrain.  Triggering a smaller-sized avalanche in extreme terrain can have dire consequences if you are pushed off cliffs or into rocks.

Regardless of where you travel in the CBAC forecast areas, avalanches are unlikely, but not impossible.  Continue to practice safe travels habits to ensure that if you are unlucky and trigger an avalanche, your partners are well-positioned out of harm's way and can provide effective companion rescue.