Above 9,000 feet, backcountry travelers could trigger persistent slabs on northerly and shaded slopes. These slabs lie upon a layer of weak, faceted snow near the base of the snowpack. Surface slab avalanches could also be triggered, and once initiated have the potential to step down and cause failure of the basal weak layer below. Avalanches are unlikely below 9,000 feet.
Weak, faceted snow persists at the base of the snow pack on northerly and shaded aspects above an elevation of 9,000 feet. Dense slabs up to 40 inches in depth rest upon this week layer and could be triggered by skiers or riders on steep, avalanche prone slopes. Caution is advised and previous tracks on a slope are not an indication of stability.
At the upper elevations, recent winds have formed surface slabs six to eighteen inches in depth. Backcountry travelers may still be able to trigger these slides in very steep, avalanche prone terrain. If one of these slabs is triggered on a steep northerly aspect, it could step down to the weak, faceted snow at the base of the snowpack.
Expect partly cloudy skies on Friday. Overnight lows in the mountains will be near 20 before rising to around 30 during the day. Westerly ridgetop winds will range from 10 to 20 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE on Friday above 9,000 feet. In north facing or shaded terrain above 9,000 feet, backcountry travelers could trigger persistent slab avalanches up to three feet in depth on very steep slopes. Below 9,000 feet, the snowpack is mostly stable and avalanches are unlikely.
