With Natural avalanche activity subsiding, the lingering chance of human triggering is still probable on specific terrain features. Most avalanche accidents occur during the first few sunny days after a major storm!"
Weather Forecast
Cold and clear today with a mild inversion and light winds today. Tomorrow we'll see much of the same. Flurries for Thursday, Friday, then back to sunshine, and high pressure for the weekend.
Snowpack Summary
~70cm of storm snow overlies the Jan 17th SH and ~60cm over the Jan 31st layer. Strong winds that came with the storm redistributed the storm snow in the alpine and exposed areas of TL. Wind slabs and buried crusts exist on specific terrain features depending on aspect and elevation. Low-density new snow can be found in sheltered locations.
Avalanche Summary
Only one natural in the park yesterday between Grizzly Couloir and Little Sifton; a size two, possibly triggered by a cornice, Sth asp in the Alp. One skier controlled size 1, on Puff Daddy, BTL, SE asp. There was a large cycle on the weekend with many slides running full path. Natural activity has subsided significantly over the past 48 hours.
Confidence
Due to the number and quality of field observations
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.