Avalanche Forecast
Regions: South Rockies.
Watch for small wind slabs and cornices in steep alpine terrain and practice good travel habits.
Confidence
High - Confidence is due to a stable weather pattern; little change is expected for several days.
Weather Forecast
THURSDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, light northeast wind, treeline temperatures drop to -15 C.
FRIDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with morning fog, light northwest wind, treeline temperatures around -10 C.
SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, moderate west wind, treeline temperatures around -12 C.
SUNDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries and trace amounts of snow, light southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -12 C.
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanches have been reported.
Snowpack Summary
A variety of wind affected surfaces covers alpine and upper treeline terrain, while a hard crust is found up to 1800 m and higher on solar slopes. A solid mid-pack sits above some decomposing crust and facet layers near the bottom of the snowpack (100-150 cm deep). Avalanche activity on these layers has been sporadic, mostly triggered by large loads such as wind slab avalanches and cornice falls. These layers are most likely unreactive under the current conditions, but steep rocky slopes should still be carefully assessed and approached with caution.
Terrain and Travel
- Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
- Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Hard wind slabs are widespread but difficult to trigger. However, be aware of the potential for wide propagations if triggered.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5