Until cold temperatures lock in this warm and wet snowpack, dangerous avalanche conditions and poor riding quality will exist.
Human triggered avalanches are possible.
Wet slab avalanches have been failing on or stepping down to buried weak layers in the mid and lower snowpack resulting in very large avalanches running to valley bottom.
Basal facets remain a concern in steep, rocky alpine features with thin-to-thick snowpack transitions. Avalanches triggered on this layer have been large and destructive.
Over the past three days, a widespread avalanche cycle occurred and numerous (size 2-4) wet slab, persistent slab, and wet loose avalanches were seen from all aspects and elevations. Yesterday, a skier remotely triggered (from 50 m away) a size 4 persistent slab avalanche.
Until colder temperatures arrive and stabilize the snowpack, rider-triggered avalanches remain likely. Avoid overhead exposure, very large avalanches have the potential to run to valley bottom.
In the high alpine isolated pockets of wind-transported dry snow exists. A thin, breakable crust exists above 2300 m with moist snow under the crust. Wet, saturated snow 2200 m and below.
The stress of the new load (warm, wet upper snowpack) has been actively producing avalanches failing down to the early and mid January crust/facet layer (30-80 cm down) and the early December rain crust/ facet layer (100+ cm down) which remains a concern above 2000 m in shallow snowpack areas.
The lower snowpack is characterized by weak basal facets in many areas.
Wednesday Night
Cloudy, a trace of new snow, treeline temperatures near -1°C, south alpine wind 20 gusting to 45 km/h, freezing level around 1700 m.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries up to 3-7 cm, southwest alpine wind 20 to 40 km/h, freezing level around 1600 m.
Friday
Cloudy with light snow, treeline temperatures near -2°C, southerly alpine wind 10 to 20 km/h, freezing levels near 1600 m.
Saturday
Mix of sun and cloud, a trace of new snow, treeline temperatures near -4°C, southwest alpine wind 10 to 25 km/h, freezing level valley bottom.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
