Areas of unstable snow exist. At the mid and upper elevations a buried layer of faceted snow that formed in November still has potential to be a failure plane for large avalanches. Slab avalanches could be triggered by the weight of a single person on this persistent weak layer. Heavier triggers like snowmachines may be more likely to trigger one of these slides. A careful evaluation of snow and terrain is warranted. Avalanches are unlikely below an elevation of 7,500 feet.
At the mid and upper elevations the weight of a single person could trigger a slab avalanche up to 30 inches in depth on steep slopes. It could be possible for a person to trigger one of these avalanches on a slope that has tracks from previous skiers or snowmobilers.
Expect mostly clear skies Thursday night and during the day on Friday. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the single digits before rising into the mid to upper teens during the day. Southwesterly to westerly ridgetop winds will range from 5 to 15 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to remain Moderate on Friday above 7,500 feet. Poor snowpack structure is widespread, and backcountry travelers could still trigger persistent slab avalanches up to 30 inches deep in steep terrain. Large triggers, such as snowmobiles, may be more likely to initiate one of these slides. Evaluate the snowpack carefully, and don’t let previous tracks fool you into thinking that a slope is safe. Below 7,500 feet, the shallow snowpack is mostly stable.
