A week of benign weather will allow the snow to gain strength, but you should remain wary of solar aspects where new snow rests on a buried sun crust that may remain sensitive to human triggering.
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow, light west wind, freezing level rising to around 700 m.TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light wind, freezing level rising to around 1000 m.WEDNESDAY: Sunny, light wind, freezing level rising to around 1300 m.
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday, a few natural size 1-2 slabs were reported on north aspects and numerous wet loose avalanches were reported on steep south-facing terrain. Several small snowmobile triggered avalanches (size 1) were reported at treeline elevations in the Brandywine area.On Friday, a few human triggered avalanches up to size 2.5 were reported. A size 1.5 and second size 2.5 were triggered on southwest facing slopes between 1900 and 2000 m. These likely failed on the February 22nd interface, which presents as a crust with surface hoar and/or facets on it. South facing slopes may be where this interface is most reactive. A skier also remotely triggered a size 1.5 avalanche on a wind loaded slope of unknown aspect/elevation.
Snowpack Summary
A thin sun crust has formed on solar aspects and the surface is wind affected in most exposed terrain. 40 cm of storm snow from last week is gradually settling and may be sitting on a thin layer of surface hoar in sheltered areas.The February 22nd interface is now 50 to 70 cm below the surface. This layer is composed of old wind slabs, spotty surface hoar, facets and a sun crust on solar aspects. Snowpack testing suggests this layer may remain reactive, particulary on south-facing slopes. The snowpack is well settled and stronge beneath the February 22nd interface. Variable winds in the past month have produced cornices on many ridgelines. They will become touchier as they grow in size, as temperatures rise, and when they are subject to the strong late-winter sun on clear days.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.