West Slopes Central

Your largest challenge will most likely be travel conditions, with firm, variable surfaces, or soft snow at lower elevations and southerly slopes. Lingering avalanche concerns to watch out for are glide avalanches on steep, smooth slopes and cornices triggering avalanches beneath them. Warmer temperatures could mean softening snow and small wet snow avalanches on south-facing slopes.

Tuesday I travelled into the backcountry in the Highway 2 corridor to assess the snowpack up to 5000ft. Travel was challenging, and the modestly angled north slopes I was attempting to ascend were too firm to feel comfortable traveling on them. I only made it up to 2500ft, but I found thick surface crusts on northerly aspects and in other shaded areas. You can check out more of my observation HERE. 

If you’re traveling into avalanche terrain there are a few lingering avalanche problems to keep in mind. Wednesday’s forecast is slightly warmer than the previous few days, so snow may soften more on southerly slopes. Very soft, punchy conditions are not expected, but if you do find yourself sinking several inches into the snowpack or notice snow sliding down a slope, stay off nearby steep terrain and avoid areas beneath them. 

Glide cracks on smooth, steep slopes are still present in many areas. These cracks releasing and running as avalanches is unlikely, but keep it in mind if you’re traveling beneath these unsettling features. Many of them released during and within a day or two of the large rain event. Cornices also failed during the same time range as the glide cracks. It is not out of the question that they still could crack and release, triggering an avalanche beneath.

Most of the upper snow layers are firm and refrozen, transitioning us into springlike conditions and harboring fewer avalanche concerns. Instead, on Wednesday your largest challenge is more likely to be firm, bumpy snow conditions, with exposed rocks, gullies, and creeks.