West Slopes South

A relatively nice day should combine with generally safe avalanche conditions on Sunday. Instead of avalanches, you may need to manage variable travel hazards that make even simple routes tricky.

A strengthening surface crust has ended any lingering wet avalanche concerns. Even down low, where the snow remains wet, triggering a slide has become very unlikely. 

On Sunday, a bit of sunshine could soften southerly aspects and warm the few inches of recent snow. While this may produce piles of rollerballs or a few very small wet loose slides, these “avalanches” should be relatively inconsequential. Increasing cool SE winds might put a damper on any warming and softening despite the sun. 

The most likely consequential avalanche would come from a blob of snow shedding from rocks or a glide crack finally releasing. In both cases, pay attention to the slopes above you and don't linger under rocky terrain or slopes with crevasse-like cracks. 

If you plan to use this period of nicer weather to ascend higher on the volcanoes, you could find different avalanche conditions. Be ready to make your own assessment of snow, weather, and avalanche conditions. The most likely issue you’d encounter would be pockets of wind-drifted snow. However, above 8000 ft (the top of our forecast area), we have very little information about the current snowpack. Even if the conditions are thinner and the danger "Low" in our zone, it may be a different world higher on these big peaks. 

Variable travel conditions continue to get the most attention. Wet punchy snow, thin coverage, breakable crust, icy slopes, irregular surfaces, open holes, flowing creeks, glide cracks, and piles of frozen avalanche debris can all make even your normal day in the mountains much more challenging. 

On Saturday, an avalanche professional near Crystal Mt reported firm conditions and an inch or two of recent snow. Travel continues to be challenging, especially at lower elevations, where the recent rains took a huge toll on the snowpack.