Expect to find deep and touchy wind slabs that could form large avalanches. Persistent slabs may also linger in specific terrain. Conservative terrain travel is recommended.
Wind slabs will likely remain reactive to rider traffic. Recently wind slabs have shown the potential for wide propagation as well as reactivity on lower angle slopes.
We continue to see periodic avalanches on a weak layer of surface hoar and facets buried about 100 cm deep. Resulting avalanches have propagated for hundreds of metres, with some being remotely triggered from hundreds of metres away. The common trend is that they are on north to east aspects around 1500 to 1700 m in elevation.
Up to 80cm of storm snow has been redistributed into wind slabs on north and east aspects. Southerly slopes are generally scoured or wind pressed. In sheltered areas the above mentioned snow is still soft and likely makes for decent riding.
A hard melt-freeze crust that extends up to about 1700 m is now on the snow surface in wind-exposed terrain and otherwise buried about 50 to 80 cm in wind-loaded terrain. The crust appears to be bonding to the snowpack.
A weak layer of surface hoar and facets may be buried about 80 to 120 cm deep on north to east aspects in alpine and upper treeline elevations. The layer may rest on a harder melt-freeze crust. Where preserved, this layer has shown to have very high propagation potential and capable of producing large avalanches hundreds of metres wide.
We received reports of numerous small to large (size 1 to 2) wind slabs triggered by riders and naturally in lee terrain features over the past few days. Slabs on Tuesday were 30 to 50 cm deep around treeline and propagated widely.
Check out this MIN from our field team that discusses the wind slab problem in greater detail.
On Friday, a large avalanche was triggered by riders, likely releasing on the weak layer described in the Snowpack Summary. See this MIN for details and photos, highlighting the propagation potential and high consequence nature of this layer.
Wednesday Night
Cloudy with a few centimeters of new snow expected. Light to moderate southwest wind and a low of -7 at 1500m.
Thursday
Cloudy with light flurries bringing a few centimeters of new snow. Light to moderate southwest winds and a high of -7 at 1500m.
Friday
Stormy with up to 10cm of new snow expected. Moderate to strong southwest winds and a high of -6 at 1500m.
Saturday
Cloudy with light flurries bringing a trace of new snow. Moderate to strong southwest winds and a high of -6 at 1500m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
