Use caution in wind-affected terrain; reactive wind slabs have been reported in the region.
For the best and safest riding, seek out soft, unaffected snow at lower elevations.
Recent snow and strong winds have built wind slabs in open terrain features. Likely trigger areas are below ridges and crossloaded slopes. Wind slabs may be more reactive in the Elkford area where a buried surface hoar layer is present.
On Wednesday, there were reports of reactive wind slabs triggered by explosives and riders up to size 1.5. Dry loose sluffs were also reported.
Looking forward: Wind slabs may remain reactive, especially in the south of the region, which saw up to 15 cm of snow and strong winds on Wednesday night.
Up to 15 cm of new snow fell near Castle Mountain on Wednesday night. Strong to extreme winds have stripped southwest alpine features and developed wind slabs low in the terrain and in lee and cross-loaded features. In parts of the region, a weak surface hoar layer may be buried around 40 cm.
The mid-snowpack is wind-pressed and consolidated with a melt-freeze crust that is widespread at treeline and below, and generally absent in alpine terrain.
Near the bottom of the snowpack, a crust with facets is considered unlikely to trigger, except with large loads or in thin snowpack areas.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear skies. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
Friday
Mix of sun and cloud. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C. Freezing level rising to 1400 m in PM.
Saturday
Sunny. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 5 cm of snow. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level around 1700 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
