Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Due to variable snowpack conditions

Thursday: Light amounts of new snow (trace amounts in the north) / Light northwest winds / Freezing level at 1300mFriday: Mix of sun and cloud / Light north winds / Freezing level at 1600mSaturday: Clear skies / Light northwest winds / Freezing level at 1900m

Natural avalanche activity decreased on Sunday but there was one report of a size 2 skier triggered avalanche in the Duffey Lake area that resulted in injuries. Explosive control on the Duffey Lake road also produced several avalanches up to size 3 from northwest aspects. Most of these were suspected to have released on the late February surface hoar layer. There were no reports of new avalanches on Monday or Tuesday.

Moderate ridge top winds have formed new wind slabs in exposed lee terrain. A dusting of new snow sits on 60-100 cm of settling storm snow or a rain crust below 1400 m in the north and 1700 m in the south. A weak layer of buried surface hoar (February 20th) and/or a crust sits at the base of the storm snow. This layer was the culprit in most of the large avalanches that occurred last weekend. Snowpack tests continue to show moderate "pops or drops" results and good potential for propagation. Triggering this layer is becoming more difficult, but I recommend avoiding any large slopes that did not release during the last cycle, especially when the sun pokes out this week.