There may be some lingering wind slaps in exposed, alpine terrain, but the primary concern in the snowpack is a weak layer of surface hoar (feathery crystals) and/or sun crust depending on the aspect of the terrain. This layer is down 30-70 cm and has been described as 'spotty' with regards to its distribution. It is most pronounced at treeline, but may be found in sheltered, north facing alpine areas.At the base of the snowpack is a crust that formed in late October. There have been no reports of reactivity on this layer; however, this layer may be reactive to human triggers in isolated locations such as steep, rocky terrain, with a shallow snowpack. Small avalanches may step-down to this crust resulting in large, destructive avalanchesSnowpack depths decrease dramatically with elevation where rocks, stumps, and open creeks remain significant hazards.We currently have very limited snowpack observations within this region, so it is critical to supplement this information with your own observations.Check out our latest
FORECASTER BLOG for more insight into the uncertainty we have with the surface hoar layer in the southern Cariboos.