There are isolated areas of considerable hazard in the alpine. Higher than expected winds have made new slabs in the high alpine. Lots of spindrift coming down from alpine ridges today.
Weather Forecast
Clear overnight with light(25km/hr) winds. Given what we saw today, the winds will be stronger above 2600m. Tomorrow will be a mix of sun and cloud with a daytime high of -9 at 2300m.
Avalanche Summary
We did see 1 cornice triggered slab on a sub-peak of Mt Lougheed. It pulled out the unsupported slope below it and then triggered another slope further down. It didn't appear to go on the deep persistent layer.
Snowpack Summary
The high alpine is experiencing stronger winds than expected. As expected, windslabs are a growing concern in the alpine. The question is are they reactive or not. We suspect yes- in certain places. Steep alpine slopes (35-40 degree plus) are suspect. The windslabs are also "laminated". Meaning that there are multiple slabs stacked up on each other with possible weaknesses between them. Open areas at treeline are less suspect as the winds haven't touched that area yet.
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.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.