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Mostly stable avalanche conditions exist, and large avalanches are unlikely. While your odds are low, you can significantly reduce risk by steering clear of recently wind-affected snow. Even small slides can have big consequences on slopes with cliffs, trees, and terrain traps.

LOW DANGER DOESN'T MEAN NO DANGER

While the danger rating has decreased to LOW, you can still find trouble. Most avalanches you can encounter today will be on the smaller side. While triggered slides can be small, they can pack a punch if they carry you through trees, cliffs, gullies, and other terrain traps. Several weak snow layers exist in the snowpack's upper 1.5-2.5 feet; read on.

In late January, a prominent surface hoar layer buried 2-2.5 feet down produced a handful of human-triggered avalanches in shaded, sheltered terrain. Snowpack tests and a lack of avalanche activity in the last three weeks indicate that this layer is gaining strength. However, surface hoar problems can linger for a long time.

Newer weak layers buried in the upper foot of the snowpack generally lack the overlying slab necessary to produce avalanches. You may find slabs over these weak layers in terrain where the wind has been transporting snow. Field observations and small triggered slides in neighboring zones indicate that these layers can produce avalanches when loaded with the right slab. Look for these along ridgelines and near mid-slope terrain features like ribs and gullies. You are most likely to encounter these small avalanches in terrain steeper than about 35 degrees, where the wind has been building slabs on top of these weak layers. 

1-3 inches of snowfall and moderate winds are expected to arrive just before sunset. If the storm comes in earlier, look for active wind-loading. Pay attention to increasing wind transporting snow and creating fresh slabs over older ones. These slabs are likely small but can be consequential when riding in avalanche terrain above trees, gullies, cliffs, or other terrain traps.