Recent storm accumulations have been highly variable throughout the region; however, some ares saw significant snowfall earlier in the week. In general, winds have been moderate to strong creating widespread windslabs at higher elevations, although I suspect that in recent days they may have gained some strength. In some areas the most recent accumulations may sit over a rain crust that extends up to 2000m. There have been reports of buried surface hoar up to a metre down. This layer, which was buried at the end of November, seems most prevalent on the west side of the region. Little is known about its current reactivity.At the base of the snowpack you may find the early November crust which is associated with a layer of facets either directly above or below. Recent tests have shown sudden results at this interface.In general, snowpack data is sparse in this region and significant variations likely exist from one drainage to another. Digging down and making your own observations will be critical to safe slope selection. Any observations from the field are welcome at
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