It is important to find and monitor the deep layers as you move through the terrain. Deep snowpacks will decrease the chance of triggering an avalanche.
Weather Forecast
Tomorrow's forecast is very similar to today's. Alpine highs will reach -6, winds will be light from the SW and there will be no snow.
Avalanche Summary
No new slab avalanches today, however we did witness a small cornice collapse that triggered a small loose dry sluff.
Snowpack Summary
Today's travels had a slightly different snow structure than yesterday's. A more sheltered alpine (Mt Murray moraines, 2100m) area had a well settled snowpack that is 150cm deep. The Nov 6th crust/depthhoar/facet layer is down 135cm's, and very weak. The midpack is currently bridging this weak layer giving a solid feel to the snowpack. The midpack is made up of a thick, and moderately dense(1finger-pencil) windslab. Shallow areas are weaker and more susceptible to triggering. Below treeline the Dec 13th crust is annoyingly persistent. It is breakable and very challenging to ski. It does improve with elevation, eventually it disappears at 2150m.
Problems
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.