Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–1.5
Look for and avoid lens-shaped drifts of snow below ridges and inside gullies where you find more than about 8 inches of recently drifted snow. Cracking in the new snow is a sign to avoid drifted slopes greater than about 35 degrees. You are most likely to find drifted snow on north through east to southeast-facing slopes at upper elevations. Small slides in recent snow could step down to weak layers formed in December and grow larger.
Warm temperatures and scattered clouds with fresh snow on the slopes mean you might see small wet snow releases on steep slopes on Saturday. If you see rollerballs or pinwheels coming off steep slopes, or if you're sinking up to your ankles in wet surface snow, you should avoid similar steep slopes.