A transition to spring conditions will continue today for the mountains of Douglas Island. Avalanche hazard will be largely affected by warming throughout the day and solar radiation effects on the upper layers of the snowpack. While increasing clouds are forecast through the afternoon hours today, wet loose and cornice related avalanches will become possible if solar effects have an opportunity to warm South and West aspects as well as corniced ridgelines.
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Wet loose avalanches often start small but can grow large as they entrain snow. Wet loose avalanches are especially hazardous in steep exposed terrain and above terrain traps such as cliffs and gulleys. Signs of wet loose activity include wet saturated surface snow that feels unconsolidated, pinwheels and rollerballs on slopes, and snow shedding off rocks and trees due to solar heating.
Cornices are unpredictable and can fail without warning. Cornice failures can put a significant load on the slopes below them which can often trigger large avalanches. When traveling on ridgelines, cornices often fail much further back from their edges than expected as well. Cornices should be given a wide berth when traveling on corniced ridges and time spent under cornices should be minimized.
Spring conditions will be present again today for the mountain areas of Douglas. Yesterday saw temperatures climb well above freezing to ridgetops and strong solar radiation cooked sun exposed aspects. Overnight, Temperatures dropped back below freezing which likely locked up surface snow layers into a firm melt freeze crust. With increasing clouds and cooler high temperatures forecast today it is uncertain how much sun effect and warming will occur to soften surface layers. That being said, with light winds and clear skies to start the day Sunday, sun exposed terrain could rapidly warm and break down the frozen melt freeze surface which could make wet loose and cornice related avalanche activity possible. Looking into the start of the work week, snow will return to mid and upper elevations for Monday which could create storm and wind slab problems especially in places where the current melt freeze surface stays frozen which will act as a smooth planar bed surface for slab development to occur on top of. Today is also the last day of lift access for the year at Eaglecrest. We'd like to take a moment to thank Eaglecrest Ski Patrol for all of the hard work this year and remind skiers and riders that after today, Eaglecrest will no longer have avalanche hazard reduction work occuring and should be considered a backcountry snowpack.
