Not a bad idea to check your trip partners for signs of frostbite through out the day.
Weather Forecast
Wednesday will be a mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Cold temps and light northerly winds continue. Alpine highs -18, lows -25.No significant warm-up, nor precipitation leading into the weekend.
Snowpack Summary
Isolated pockets of wind-slab in exposed areas at upper elevations, these may overlie an old snow interface of facets, crust, and surface hoar. Several other noticeable crusts lie dormant deeper in the snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported or observed along the parkway.Explosive control at the local hill on Christmas Eve produced a few small avalanches from isolated pockets of wind slab.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.