Clearwater

It's a great time to explore more challenging or complex terrain.
Continue to verify conditions as you travel, and check for slabs before entering steep or committing slopes.

High

• We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast

No recent avalanches have been reported, but observations are limited. If you head into the backcountry, consider sharing your observations with the Mountain Information Network.

In the alpine and upper treeline elevations, the surface snow is wind-affected with deeper deposits of snow in immediate lee features. Areas may see up to 5 cm of new snow by Friday afternoon.

Recent sun and warm temperatures likely created a thin crust on steep southerly aspects. New surface hoar has been reported growing on the surface in isolated, shetlered areas.

A mid-December crust lies 30–50 cm deep, found up to 2200 m. Additional crusts exist in the mid and lower snowpack, including a mid-November crust with facets above and below, but neither of these layers is currently a concern.

Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Friday
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Saturday
Cloudy. 10 to 20 cm of snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 4 to 10 cm of snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• The snowpack is generally stable; it may be appropriate to step out into more complex terrain.
• Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for slabs before you commit to it.