The early season snowpack is shallow and weak. Buried stumps and rocks create a real hazard. Any avalanche that is triggered will likely fail on the ground or the October rain crust which means even a small slide could have ugly consequences.
Weather Forecast
No precip is expected on Monday and skies will be mostly sunny. alpine temperatures should reach -3 with light SW winds.
Avalanche Summary
One loose dry avalanche, size 1.0 from very steep Alpine terrain (2800m) on East aspect observed today on Mt Murray.Report late yesterday afternoon of a skier-triggered slab, size 1.0 on a NE aspect at approx 2400m in the Highwood Pass area.
Snowpack Summary
Trace to 2cm of new snow overnight. Little change in snowpack today. The October rain crust is buried approximately 70cm deep in Alpine areas.
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.