The alpine is the most likely place to encounter avalanche problems like stiff wind slabs and buried weak layers. The best and safest riding can be found in sheltered treeline terrain in side valleys.
Wind slabs may remain reactive on west to south aspects in the alpine. Hard wind slabs can be stubborn to trigger and surprise you once you hit the weak spot.
A weak layer of surface hoar and/or a crust buried about 100 cm deep have produced large, widely propagating avalanches in the alpine as recently as Tuesday. These avalanches have been observed on north and south aspects and some have been remotely triggered by riders.
On Tuesday, a size 2.5 persistent slab avalanche was remotely triggered by skiers on a ridgetop in the alpine. The slab propagated widely on a thin, rocky southeast aspect and it stepped down to basal facets lower on the slope.
Outflow winds from the north have done a real number on the surface snow scouring exposed terrain, creating waves of sastrugi in more sheltered terrain, and forming wind slabs on southerly aspects. Very sheltered terrain in side valleys to the east and west of White Pass still harbour softer snow for riding.
The middle of the snowpack is very firm and settled. There is a surface hoar layer buried 60 cm (Powder Valley, Tuthsi, Paddy Peak) to 120 cm (White Pass) deep in sheltered, mostly north facing terrain features that produced some large, human-triggered avalanches in January and February.
At the base of the snowpack large sugary crystals persist.
Thursday night
A few cm of snow. Moderate northeasterly wind. Alpine low -18 ˚C.
Friday
Light flurries in the morning and a mix of sun and cloud in the afternoon. Moderate to strong northeasterly wind. Alpine high -17 ˚C.
Saturday
A mix of sun and cloud with scattered flurries. Moderate to strong northeasterly wind. Alpine high -20 ˚C.
Sunday
Sunny. Light to moderate northeasterly wind. Alpine high -18 ˚C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
