Early season conditions with thin snow cover on access trails, watch for obstacles. Look out for new windslabs from the North winds.
Weather Forecast
Cold and clear in the short term with no precipitation in the forecast. Some warmer temperatures are forecast for the upcoming weekend.
Snowpack Summary
Heavy wet snow combined with rain fell in early November up until the 10th, when the temperatures dropped and the sky cleared. This clear weather came with moderate to high winds from the North which created some wind-slabs which are sitting on top of a crust base. Large plumes of spin drifted snow were observed from ridges on the 11th.
Avalanche Summary
Avalanches up to size 2.5 were observed on Nov 11th some of which were slab avalanches.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.