West Slopes South

Increasing clouds throughout the morning should limit the sun's influence on the snow. Traveling safely on variable surfaces and around natural hazards will be the biggest challenge you'll face. Bring the right tools to manage slick crusts and know how to use them properly.

Every day this week has been the same from an avalanche standpoint. Expect generally safe avalanche conditions to continue until a major storm arrives. What has changed slightly each day is the weather. On Thursday, we'll see increasing clouds ahead of a "storm" headed our way.  Don't get your hopes up, winter lovers. This one won't be a big snow producer and those clouds mean that slopes that have already struggled to soften in the sunshine will have even less of a chance.

So grab those sharp objects if you're headed out and know how to use them. Travel conditions are still the biggest hazard in the mountains. In open areas, surfaces are generally smooth but highly variable. Softer snow is interspersed with breakable crusts and icy slopes. Numerous observations have indicated that long, uncontrolled slides are possible on slick, firm crusts. In the woods, travel is reportedly worse. Tree bombs, ice blocks, and tracks combine into a frozen mess that is difficult to navigate. Then there are the open creeks, random holes, and avalanche debris to climb over or steer around. These will add time and stress to your day, even in familiar terrain.

In terms of avalanches and snowpack, we’re currently focused on areas of softer snow over the 1/10 crust. Reports of widespread surface hoar and near-surface facets continue to pour in. Additionally, observations indicate faceting above and below the 1/10 crust in some areas. On Monday, avalanche professionals got propagating test results on the 1/10 in the Crystal Mountain area. The slope was slightly wind-loaded, resulting in the slab necessary to perform such tests. If you're exploring the remote or high-elevation parts of the zone and come across wind-loaded snow, consider the possibility of it overlaying these weak grains and breaking easily or widely given the right terrain.