Maintain a cautious approach as the improved stability frees up your terrain options. Choose well supported lines with even snow distribution.
Confidence
Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain on Saturday
Weather Forecast
Friday: Mainly cloudy. Winds moderate from the southwest. Freezing level 1000 metres with alpine temperatures of -3. Saturday: A mix of sun and cloud. Winds moderate to strong from the southwest. Freezing level to 1800 metres with alpine temperatures of +1. Sunday: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries and 10-15 cm of new snow. Winds moderate to strong from the southwest. Freezing level to 1600 metres with alpine temperatures of +1.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported, but a number of recent MIN reports have highlighted loose snow sluffing easily in steep terrain and forming dangerous flows that require careful management. The problem will be especially relevant on sheltered northerly aspects and may be amplified by daytime warming on Friday.
Snowpack Summary
At the snow surface, surface hoar has been observed growing up to 10 mm in the Whistler area. Below this, a highly variable 70-140 cm of storm snow now forms our upper snowpack, the product of a storm that rapidly blanketed the region late last week. Wind slabs developed on a range of aspects at exposed higher elevations in the days after the storm and although they have gained strength, they remain our primary avalanche hazard. Aside from wind slabs, the storm snow has been described as 'right side up' (lower density at the top) and is settling quickly with the aid of continued mild temperatures. While this inspires some confidence, occasional sudden planar results within this layer continue to suggest that investigation of the storm snow is still called for in bigger terrain. The bond of our storm snow to the varied surfaces below it has been improving, with this interface producing moderate to hard and generally resistant snowpack test results. The mid and lower snowpack are generally well settled but still feature a number of facet and crust layers that warrant long term monitoring.
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.