West Slopes Central

The most dangerous part of backcountry travel right now is the firm, irregular snow surfaces. Prepare for your day by bringing equipment to help you grip or arrest on steep, slippery surfaces. Travel quickly beneath gaping glide cracks and other large overhead hazards. 

Aside from a very low chance of lingering glide avalanches in steep, cliffy areas, there should be little to no avalanche danger Saturday. Friday was our coolest day in recent memory, with mid and upper elevation weather stations dropping below freezing for the first time in about two weeks. Temperatures will increase a little for Saturday. Still, the only softening snow you'll encounter is steep south-facing terrain midday. Stronger inversions and colder temperatures will be present closer to the crest.  

Your biggest hazard in the backcountry is probably the bumpy, irregular and hard surface conditions, along with low snow hazards such as exposed rocks, trees, bushes and creeks. These slick and bumpy surfaces will remain until we get another healthy coating of snow. If you're planning on getting out in the backcountry, bring equipment such as crampons and ice axes to maintain your grip on slick snow surfaces or arrest a fall- especially if you're venturing into steep terrain. 

Isolated pockets of unstable snow remain in the form of glide slabs and blocks clinging to cliffs and steep, rocky terrain. Glide avalanches can still release during colder periods following a prolonged warm stretch. Identify these overhead hazards and limit your exposure regardless of temperature or sun. Watch for glide cracks, lumpy or wrinkled-looking snow around cliffs, and anything else that appears poorly attached to the mountain.