West Slopes South

Wednesday will bring sunshine and generally stable avalanche conditions to the West South. Plan for typical spring hazards: firm, icy surfaces in the morning giving way to soft, mushy snow in the afternoon, weakening cornices, snow shedding off rocks and cliffs, and the chance of an isolated wet avalanche. If you start to see snow falling off the cliffs, or find yourself sinking deep into wet snow, shift your travel off of steep slopes.

Tuesday brought a much-needed cool down, plus windy conditions to the West South zone. Temperatures were generally 5–15°F cooler compared to Monday, allowing for a modest stiffening of snow surfaces. The firm conditions didn't last very long, and sunny slopes turned soft by mid-morning. Winds were moderate to strong overnight, with extreme gusts through the mountain passes. No new avalanche activity was reported. Cooler temperatures will continue Tuesday night into Wednesday, with a gradual warm-up into the afternoon. Expect sunny springtime weather, with larger temperature swings between night and day.

Many different mountain hazards can be present in the spring, and you'll want to consider them as you plan your day. Expect a wide range of snow surfaces from firm and icy in the morning to wet and mushy in the afternoon. As surfaces warm up, there's still a chance you could trigger a small wet loose avalanche in isolated terrain. These slides are most likely to occur on steep, unsupported slopes exposed to the sunshine, especially around heated rocks and cliffs. As the day warms up, keep an eye on the snow underfoot. If you find yourself sinking deep into mushy, wet snow, or you're easily pushing snow downhill, it's probably a good time to switch to lower-angle, or less consequential terrain. In addition, many of the large cornices are beginning to sag and crack. Avoid traveling on top of or beneath them, as even a small collapse could get you hurt.

If you're headed up onto the volcanoes, bring the proper equipment to prevent a long, sliding fall.

The cooler weather might be slowing it down, but the overall snow coverage continues to thin by the day. Low and mid-elevation sunny slopes are beginning to show large stretches of dirt and rock. If you're headed into these areas, plan a little extra time to navigate the resurfacing obstacles, open creeks, and the general thin coverage.