Recent snow may not bond well to previous surfaces. Expect to find more reactive deposits around ridges and steep rolls.
Ongoing flurries will continue to build slabs within the recent storm snow. Additional loading may trigger slabs on the Christmas crust, especially on wind-loaded slopes at treeline and above.
On Sunday, storm slab avalanches to size 2 failed naturally and were triggered by riders and explosives, with crowns up to 80 cm deep.
On Saturday, explosives triggered a few slab avalanches up to size 2. Natural avalanches to size 2 were reported, and riders triggered size 1 slabs.
On Friday, small pocket wind slabs were reactive to skiers in immediate lee areas.
20 to 30 cm fresh snow burried a variety of surfaces, including surface hoar in wind-sheltered terrain and a sun crust on south-facing slopes. Below treeline, moist snow is transitioning to crust.
20 to 40 cm of snow since Christmas continues to settle above a thin melt-freeze crust at elevations around 2000 m and below.
The mid and lower snowpack is characterized by multiple crusts, with moist snow persisting near the base in some areas.
Snow depths at treeline generally range from approximately 100 to 220 cm.
Sunday night
Mostly cloudy. Up to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 15 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C. Freezing level 300 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 20 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C. Freezing level 110 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
