If you decided to get out and face the arctic cold, bring an extra puffy coat... or three.
Weather Forecast
Very cold (high of -25), light winds and clear skies.
Snowpack Summary
Previous storm snow remains soft in protected areas and provides great skiing/riding. Expect to find wind slab in open areas above tree line. The Nov 12 crust is down 45-90cm and can be found between 2100-2600m on all aspects. Facet development is occurring above and below this crust.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous Sz 1 loose dry avalanches, all aspects and elevations. Two Sz 2 avalanches; natural cornice fall triggered a thin slab on a NE aspect, the other was a cross loaded feature on a W aspect, both occurring in alpine terrain. Cold temps and lack of wind will begin faceting of the upper snowpack, expect loose dry avalanches in steep terrain.
Confidence
Due to the number and quality of field observations
Problems
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.