Avalanche danger will rise on solar aspects during the day. Hunt for good dry snow and lower hazard on the north side of the mountain!
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY: Mainly sunny. The freezing level should jump to around 1800-2000 m and ridge winds are light to moderate from the east. SATURDAY: Overcast with a chance of light precipitation. The freezing level is around 1800-2100 m and winds remain light. SUNDAY: Moderate snow or rain with freezing levels near 1800 m and light ridge winds.
Avalanche Summary
Recent avalanche activity is primarily limited to natural and explosive-triggered cornice falls and small loose wet sluffs from steep sunny terrain. Some cornice falls have been large (size 3), but only a few triggered slabs on the slope below. On Tuesday, one explosive triggered cornice triggered a 1-2 m deep slab on the slope below that released on an old weakness. Forecast sunshine and warming will likely increase cornice activity and cause loose wet snow to continue shedding from steep sun exposed slopes.
Snowpack Summary
The snow surface consists of a sun crust or moist snow on sun-exposed slopes (depending on the time of day), dry settled powder on shady slopes (cool temperatures have maintained good snow quality), and pockets of fresh wind slab in lee and cross-loaded terrain features near ridge crests. In general, the snowpack is strong and well-settled throughout with no notable persistent weaknesses. Cornices are reported to be large and fragile.
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.