Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - The weather pattern is stable

Wednesday: Mainly cloudy. Alpine temperatures plus 3 degrees with the inversion and freezing levels 800 m. Ridgetop winds light to moderate from the southwest. Thursday: Mix of sun and cloud. Freezing levels 1400 m with a weak alpine temperature inversion. Strong ridgetop winds from the southwest.Friday: Mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures near -4 and freezing levels dropping to 900 m. Strong ridgetop winds from the west.

On Monday, a size 2 slab avalanche was reported. At this point we're not sure if it was skier triggered or a natural. The crown depth was 30-50 cm deep by 30 m wide and ran 150 m. The terrain feature was a steep, wind loaded convex roll above treeline in the "Little Simpson" area.Please submit your information to the Mountain Information Network. Give info get info.

Snow surfaces are highly variable throughout the region. Solar and temperature crusts have formed on sun-exposed slopes, while stiff, stubborn wind slabs linger in lee alpine terrain. Feathery surface hoar and surface facets have formed below treeline up to 1500 m. Approximately 30-50 cm of snow now overlies two crusts that were buried near the end of November. These crusts are widespread and extend into the alpine. Although snowpack tests have previously shown hard results at these crust interfaces, more recent observations have been limited. Below these crusts, a well settled mid-pack overlies the late October crust near the base of the snowpack. This "crust/facet combo" layer is widespread and has been reactive to rider and remote triggers. It also continues to produce a variety of resistant to sudden snowpack test results.Average snowpack depths now total 80-140 cm at treeline elevations and up to 160 cm in the alpine.