There is still good skiing to be found in areas sheltered from the wind.
The crust and facet layers at the bottom of the snowpack are still lurking. It's a good time to dig down to them, and see what you are skiing on.
Recent winds have created windslabs in leeward features. Avoid wind loaded pockets and evaluate carefully before entering steep and unsupported terrain that could be affected by wind. Windslab avalanches may step down to deeper layers.
A variety of crusts with facets above and below exist at the bottom of the snowpack. These layers are going to be with us for along time and pose a low probability, high consequence situation if triggered.
One natural size 2 avalanche, failing on the early season crust, and two natural size 2 windslabs were observed on southwest and south aspects on Monday, December 9th near the Icefields.
Up to 20 cm recent storm snow fell over the weekend. Moderate to strong winds at treeline and above have redistributed the fresh snow into windslabs. There is a surface hoar layer that has been found in sheltered Alpine areas down 40-60 cm's. At the bottom of the snowpack there are a variety of early season crusts with large faceted crystals above and below. Both of these layers have been producing sudden planar, compression test results in test profiles.
Wednesday
Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Trace amounts of precipitation. Alpine temperature: High -4 °C. Winds at ridgeline 10 km/h from the west.
ThursdayCloudy with sunny periods. No precipitation. Alpine temperature: Low -9 °C, High -4 °C. Winds at ridgeline 10 km/h from the west.
FridayMainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Trace amounts of precipitation. Alpine temperature: Low -11 °C, High -8 °C. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 35 km/h.
