The drought continues with no end in sight. Generally stable conditions, but use caution in steep, unsupported convexities and shallow snowpack areas. The best skiing is in sheltered locations at lower elevations.
Weather Forecast
No precipitation is in the forecast. Alpine temperatures should climb to -7 on Tuesday, with moderate to strong N winds.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new.
Snowpack Summary
Surface hoar up to 5mm in sheltered areas at 2300m and below. Surface facetting continues. Midpack is loosing strength due to continued cool temperatures promoting facetting. Condition of November rain crust is highly variable (still a crust in some areas, facetted out in others) and did produce shears in multiple field tests today.
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.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.