Continue to choose simple, mellow terrain. Signs of buried weak layers may be hard to find.
Be especially cautious on high north and east facing slopes, and steep slopes in the sun.
Where 5-10 cm of recent dry snow is seeing moderate to strong wind for the first time, small, reactive wind slabs may form in leeward terrain.
Several persistent weak layers exist, with the most problematic ones lying 30 to 60 cm deep. These layers remain a concern where there is no thick, supportive crust near the surface.
Thurs: One person was buried in an avalanche in Pedley Pass, just east of the forecast area. More details will be posted when they are available.
Wed: Numerous, small natural and human triggered dry loose avalanches were reported in steep terrain, as well as a few small rider and explosive triggered slab avalanches.
Tues: Several small to large natural persistent slab avalanches up to size 2.5 were reported, with some being triggered by falling cornice chunks.
The upper snowpack is currently quite variable on different aspects, and across the forecast area. 5 to 10 cm of recent snow is settling over a widespread melt-freeze crust that exists everywhere but north-facing slopes above 2000 m. In wind sheltered areas it may have buried a layer of up to 10 mm, weak, feathery surface hoar.
A couple of weak layers consisting of a crust, facets or surface hoar from February and January remain a concern, buried 30 to 60 cm.
Additionally, a layer of facets from early December is buried 70 to 120 cm. In many areas, facets or depth hoar exist at the base of the snowpack. These deeper layers are not currently creating an avalanche problem.
Thursday Night
Clear. 15 to 30 km/h northwest or west ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to valley bottom. Treeline low -8 °C.
Friday
Sunny. 30 to 40 km/h west or southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising to 1700 m. Treeline high -2 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries, up to 10 cm in the alpine. 15 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to near valley bottom overnight, rising to 1700 m through the day.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with isolated areas getting 15-30 cm of snow above 1500 m. 20 to 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to 1000 m overnight, rising to 1800 m through the day.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
