Skiers and riders venturing into steep terrain could trigger small to large persistent slab avalanches at the mid and upper elevations. Large triggers, such as snowmobiles, may be more likely to initiate one of these slides. When evaluating the snowpack, continue to be skeptical of the faceted snow from November, and don’t let previous tracks lure you into compromising terrain. Avalanche activity is unlikely in the shallow snowpack at the lower elevations.
The possibility remains for backcountry travelers to trigger persistent slab avalanches up to 30 inches deep in steep terrain above 7,500 feet. These slabs rest upon buried surface hoar and faceted snow, and sun crusts are present in some locations just above the faceted snow.
Conditions will remain dry into Monday with warming mountain temperatures and steepening valley inversions. Overnight temperatures will drop below zero in the colder valley locations and into the upper single digits above zero at 10,000 feet. Daytime highs will rise onto the 20s at all elevations. Clouds will increase during the day as the high pressure ridge moves east and a weak storm system approaches from the west. This system is forecast to bring 1 to 3 inches of new snow to the region by Tuesday morning. A buried layer of faceted snow that formed in mid-November is still capable of producing avalanches. On steep avalanche prone slopes at the mid and upper elevations, persistent slab avalanches up to 30 inches in depth could be triggered by the weight of a single person. A careful evaluation of terrain and this persistent weak layer is warranted. Tracks on a slope should not be interpreted as an indication of stability. Avalanches are unlikely below an elevation of 7,500 feet.
