The best riding right now is probably on high north aspects, which is also where the hazard is the highest. Don't let your guard down when searching for fresh powder.
Confidence
Moderate - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
We're into a stable and benign weather pattern: cooling temperatures and isolated flurries.TUESDAY: A mix of sun and cloud / Light snow flurries starting in the afternoon (5-10cm) / Light to moderate southwesterly winds / Freezing levels around 1400 m.WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with flurries (5-15cm) / Light southwesterly winds / Freezing levels around 700 m. THURSDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks and isolated flurries / Light northerly winds / Freezing levels around 200 m.
Avalanche Summary
On Monday afternoon we had three separate large avalanches: one natural and two triggered by humans:1) A Size 3 persistent slab (50-120cm thick) near Golden was remote triggered by a touring party on a southeast aspect near 2300m.2) A Size 2.5 persistent slab (40-75cm thick) near Golden was triggered by a skier on a northeast aspect near 2300m.3) A Size 2.5 persistent slab (30cm thick) near Invermere ran naturally on a north aspect near 2600m. Storm slabs from recent snowfall remain sensitive to light triggers and have the potential to step down and trigger persistent slab avalanches.
Snowpack Summary
We've had minor snowfall amounts (5-20cm) over the weekend with moderate southeasterly winds in some locations. Expect to find 25-40 cm of fresh snow bonding slowly to buried surface hoar and/or a sun crust, and blown into deep wind slabs at higher elevations. At 2000m and below a melt-freeze crust can be found on almost all elevations and aspects. Storm snow from last week is still bonding poorly to the previous snow surface from early February, which is now down 60-80 cm and includes a sun crust on steep sun-exposed slopes, faceted snow, as well as surface hoar on sheltered open slopes. A persistent weakness buried mid January is now down 80-150 cm and the November crust is down around 200 cm.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.