Travel is RUGGED. Pockets of wind slab may exist on leeward slopes and terrain features. Its unlikely, but isolated terrain features that have a dense slab over a weak base is where you could still trigger an avalanche.
Confidence
Moderate - The weather pattern is stable
Weather Forecast
The upper ridge is giving us a fairly benign weather pattern for the forecast period. MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud alpine temperatures near -10/ generally light winds from the West/ freezing level valley TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud/ alpine temperatures near -12/ ridgetop winds light from the West/ freezing level valley bottomWEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud/ alpine temperatures -12/ ridgetop winds light from the northeast/ freezing level valley bottom.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported in the region. Natural avalanche activity is unlikely, but its possible to trigger pockets of wind slab from leeward terrain features. If you have been out, please submit any observations to the Mountain Information Network MIN.
Snowpack Summary
The region received up to 20 cm of snow over the past week. Isolated pockets of stiff wind slab may exist on leeward slopes. Below the surface exists a series of crusts and a feathery surface hoar layer. We have a lot of uncertainty around the weak surface hoar layer and its distribution. I suspect it could exist on sheltered slopes in the alpine and at treeline. A mixed layer of melt-freeze crusts and sugary facets buried late October can be found at the base of the snowpack at treeline and in the alpine. This layer has not been active, but there is potential for slab avalanches on this layer given the current snowpack structure. Terrain features like smooth alpine bowls with variable snowpack depths would be most suspect.Average snowpack depths at treeline are near 50 cm and taper quickly as elevation decreases. Snow depths below tree line are generally below the threshold depth to produce avalanche.
Problems
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.