Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Regions
Glacier.
Danger is increasing to Considerable through the day with solar warming. Danger is lower, and ski quality better, on shaded and sheltered aspects.
Weather Forecast
The warm and calm weather will continue through the long weekend. Today should be mostly clear. Temps overnight barely hit freezing so it won't take long for crusts to break down. The ridge starts to break down on Monday, with increasing cloud on Tuesday. Alpine temps should start to lower as the next weather system approaches bringing light snow.
Snowpack Summary
Strong solar and warm temps over the past week has resulted in moist surface snow and crusts on all but sheltered N aspects above 1900m. Shallow ridgetops in the alpine are becoming isothermal. On shaded aspects large surface hoar is growing, right to mountain top. A surface hoar/crust layer in the upper meter is becoming isolated and stubborn.
Avalanche Summary
Several glide cracks released yesterday (see photo's), resulting in size 2.5-3 avalanches. Solar triggered avalanches started around 11am, on SE-W aspects. Avalanches are now gouging deeper into the snowpack as it warms up. Below treeline and in shallow areas the snow is becoming weak with warming and can be skier triggered.
Confidence
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
