Not too much good skiing to be found but ice climbs have benefited from the cooler temperatures. Watch for isolated pockets of windslab and stay warm out there!
Weather Forecast
Cold air drifting down form the NW is well on its way to chasing out the last of the moisture as a few clouds and stiff NW breezes were seen Saturday. As this air becomes firmly established overnight, winds will diminish, skies will clear and the real cold will settle in. Alpine temperatures will drop below -25C Sunday and near -35C into Monday.
Snowpack Summary
Recent moderate SW winds combined with a few cm of recent snow has formed isolated pockets of windslab in exposed areas at upper elevations. Below this recent snow, an old snow interface of facets, crust and surface hoar was buried December 18. Several other noticeable crusts lie dormant deeper in the pack.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported or observed.
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.