Two separate parties triggered avalanches yesterday, both narrowly avoiding disaster. This shows the weaknesses that still exist out there at higher elevations. As we approach the end of the season, don't let your guard down to end on a good note!
Weather Forecast
High pressure ridge will keep things dry and mainly sunny into Thursday before we settle into a more moist and unsettled weather pattern.
Snowpack Summary
40-50cm settling storm snow over April 3 crust which varies in thickness at tree line and alpine.
Avalanche Summary
Yesterday: Skier Accidental, size 3.0 on the east face of Mt Swanzy, depth 100cm, 150m wide, suspect April 3 crust. Skiers were not involved.Skier Accidental, size 2.0, Forever Young couloir, depth 30cm, 40m wide ran to 2/3 fan. Skier got taken down onto the fan before he managed to self arrest.
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 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.
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.