Avalanche Forecast

Good

Temperatures are on the rise, but should remain below freezing in the alpine.  It will be mainly cloudy, but when the sun comes out if will have an adverse effect on snow stability, especially on steeper angled aspects facing the sun directly. Keep an eye out for sluffing of snow off of radiation sponges such as cliff faces and rocks due to the sun's warming, which will often create point release avalanches.  Ridgetop winds will be in the 35km/hr range from the west.

No new avalanches observed.

Surface hoar growth occurred last night up to 8mm in size.  With some clear relatively calm nights ahead will see this growth continue, although this won't be a concern until it is buried.  In the alpine and open areas at treeline there are variably distributed windslabs making for tricky skiing.  A sun crust formed on solar aspects from last Wednesday's intense sunny period.  Sheltered areas are the key to good turns at the moment.  Forecasters were in the Hero's Knob area where the Dec. 13th layer was prevalent at treeline and in the sub-alpine elevations.  Weak facetted snow crystals were found both above and below this layer giving forecasters concern for human triggering.  The basal weak layers are still a concern so much so that it turned forecasters around today.