Avalanche Forecast

Poor - Freezing levels are uncertain for the entire period

Tuesday: Winds out of the NW at extreme values. Freezing level rising to 2300m+ around lunch time.  No snow/rain. Clearing skies.Wednesday: Freezing level stays high around 2300m.  Strong NW winds persist.  No precip expected.Thursday: Freezing level comes down to 2000m.  Winds switch to westerly strong.  Increasing to westerly extreme in the afternoon.

Skiers are still triggering some sluffing in steep terrain.  A small slab popped out Saturday night and there was also a report of a skier controlled size 1 failing on facets 20 cm below the snow surface. Avalanche activity is fairly benign at the moment.

Winds picked up out of the west Sunday creating a thin wind slab 5 - 15cm thick in open alpine and treeline features.Under this new wind slab 65 cm of settled snow rests on the January 4th interface which consists of small facets, surface hoar (up to 12mm) in sheltered treeline and below treeline areas and sun crust on steep south and west facing slopes. The bonds at this interface are improving.? The layer is still alive and well in test pits but has not been reactive to human triggering in the last day or so.? Wind slabs created by the previously raucous SW winds have grown old & tired. The midpack is well bonded and strong. The November 28 surface hoar is still being found in isolated, sheltered below treeline locations buried 120cm. The deep crust/facet combo from early November still exists but seams to have gone dormant for the time being.