Conservative terrain travel is recommended to minimize the likelihood of triggering dangerous slab avalanches.
The recent 30 to 50 cm of snow has formed slabs in certain areas but remains soft and unconsolidated in others. This snow overlies weak layers that could be easily triggered by riders where a slab exists.
Many small to large (size 1 to 2) storm slab avalanches have been triggered by riders and naturally over the course of the storm on the weekend. They were mostly 30 to 50 cm deep and occurred on all aspects and at all vegetation bands.
Given that this snow generally rests on weak layers, it remains possible that riders could trigger similar avalanches going forward, where the snow has slab properties.
Around 30 to 50 cm of snow accumulated since last Friday. This snow remains soft in many terrain features, with a lack of recent wind. The snow overlies various layers that it may not bond well to, including faceted grains, surface hoar crystals in wind-sheltered openings, and a hard melt-freeze crust on sun-exposed slopes.
The middle to upper portion of the snowpack remains faceted with numerous other layers of faceted grains, surface hoar, and/or crusts that formed over the month of January.
The lower snowpack is strong.
Monday Night
Clear skies. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -25 °C.
Tuesday
Clear skies. 10 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -21 °C.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny. 10 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -20 °C.
Thursday
Mix of sun and cloud. 10 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -16 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
