Recent winds, warm temperatures and sun have created a variety of snow surfaces. Some powder turns can still be found in sheltered areas in the trees. Travel conditions are good. Wind slabs remain the main avalanche concern.
Weather Forecast
Continued mild temperatures and a dry NW flow for Tuesday. Wednesday brings the possibility of a few cm of new snow with winds out of the SW, before a clearing trend on Thursday.
Snowpack Summary
Extensive wind effect and wind slabs at tree line and above. Sun crust on steep solar aspects. Temperature crust below 1400m. Below this is a well settled snow pack with no significant shears. Average snow pack depth at tree line is 220cm.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanche activity in the last several days. Wind slabs in steep terrain are the main concern. Caution in thin snowpack areas for weak facet layers at the bottom of the snowpack.
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.