The best and safest riding will be high north-facing terrain that is free from cornices overhead. Expect loose wet avalanche activity on sun-exposed slopes.
Summary
Confidence
Weather Forecast
Sunday night - Clear / moderate to strong northeast wind / alpine low temperature near -7 / freezing level falling to 1000 m
Monday - Sunny / light wind / alpine high temperature near -1 / freezing level 2000 m
Tuesday - Sunny / light wind / alpine high temperature near 0 / freezing level 2300 m
Wednesday - Sunny / light wind / alpine high temperature near +3 / freezing level 2700 m
Avalanche Summary
Over the weekend, reports of natural loose wet avalanches size 2-3 on solar aspects continued. Explosive work produced size 2-3.5 wet slab avalanches, failing on crusts in the upper snowpack and gouging to ground as they ran to near valley bottom.
Snowpack Summary
The snow surface consists of a melt-freeze crust on solar aspects and shaded aspects into the lower alpine, which transitions into moist/wet snow during the day. Dry snow might still be found on northerly aspects in the alpine above 2200 m. There are no layers of concern in the snowpack, which has been melting and settling over the past week. Large cornices loom along many ridgelines.
Terrain and Travel
- Avoid slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if they have large cornices overhead.
- Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
- Avoid lingering or regrouping in runout zones.
Problems
Loose Wet
Expect wet loose avalanches to run naturally when steep slopes are exposed to the sun. Activity will start on east-facing slopes in the morning, south-facing slopes throughout the day, and continue on west-facing slopes into the evening.
Aspects: East, South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Cornices are at their largest at this time of year, and become weaker with warm temperatures and solar radiation.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 19th, 2021 4:00PM
