Ice climbing conditions along the Parkway are great!Skiing, not so much.
Weather Forecast
Light snow overnight with moderate SW wind. Seasonal temperatures. Clearing and colder temperatures expected later this weekend.
Snowpack Summary
Continued moderate SW winds building slabs in lee features and cross loaded gullies. Weak layers include; buried surface hoar (Dec 11) in sheltered NE aspects around treeline and the Nov 12 crust approximately 30cm from the ground. Generally, in the Alpine there is only snow in lee areas and the snowpack is faceted and weak.
Avalanche Summary
Previous avalanche activity up to Sz 2 on N-NE-E slopes below ridgeline and to Sz 3 on a westerly aspect in steep, rocky, cross loaded terrain between 2400-2700m. No new observations due to poor visibility.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations on Friday
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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.