Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Monday

Sunday: a mix of sun and cloud with light snowfall - light and variable winds - freezing level at 700m Monday: light snowfall becoming mederate overnight - strong southeast winds - freezing level at 700m Tuesday: light snowfall - strong southeast winds - freezing level at 600m

On Friday a few large to very avalanches were triggered by heli-bombing from the big terrain in Bear Pass. In the start zones they ran at the recent storm snow interface and gradually involved wet snow as they reached lower elevations. In the south of the region numerous dry loose snow avalanches to size 1.5 were also reported in steep terrain. In the same area a cornice fall triggered a size 2 slab on the slope below. Solar aspects are producing loose wet avalanches to size 2 with significant sun exposure.

Light amounts of new snow override a variety of old surfaces that include wind slab, crusts and spotty surface hoar. Spring-like conditions have existed over the past several days forming crusts on solar aspects at all elevations that become moist under sunny skies during the day. Melt conditions exist on all aspects below 1000 m, with no significant re-freeze. This has developed a well settled upper snowpack with no significant layers of concern at this time. Below all this, down 60-120 cm exists a very spotty surface hoar/ facet interface. Operations from the field noted no recent activity on this layer. I suspect it's becoming dormant, but would be suspicious of large triggers like cornice fall, or under the weight of a sled and it's rider in specific areas. Cornices in the region are reported to be very large and potentially unstable.