It's not the time to let your guard down. The skiing is great, but the consequences of reading the terrain wrong are high. Be vigilant in choosing simple, low-angled and well supported terrain without overhead hazard. The snow's good there too!
Weather Forecast
Unsettled weather is expected through the weekend. Expect mostly cloudy skies with sunny periods and isolated flurries, cool temps of -10 to -20 and gusty westerly winds at ridgetop. The sunny periods are a concern as the new storm snow will become more reactive with the initial hit from the sun.
Snowpack Summary
1-1.4m of storm snow is settling into a cohesive slab over the Feb 10 facet/surface hoar/crust interface. Snowpack tests give spooky results and indicate that the Feb 10 PWL is triggerable with a propensity to propagate. In addition, layers in the top 60cm of the storm slab are reactive and if triggered will likely step down to the Feb 10.
Avalanche Summary
Yesterday 2 size 3's and 7 size 2-2.5 avalanches were observed along the highway. Many running right to avalanche fans. And on Wednesday, a significant event west of the park saw wind blast from a slide from extreme terrain knock down 150 year-old timber. Less cracking and whumphing is being observed while traveling but the layers remain reactive.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.
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.
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.