Wind affected snow combined with reactive, persistent weak layers is keeping hazard elevated.
Stick to low-angle slopes and avoid exposing yourself to steep terrain from above.
Recent snow and wind may have formed wind slabs at upper elevations. These slabs will be most reactive in lee areas by ridgetops, and could step-down to deeper weak layers.
Weak layers in the upper snowpack continue to be reactive and surprise riders with wide propagation. Recent large avalanches have involved the 3rd or 4th rider. Remote-triggering and large avalanches remain likely.
On Wednesday, warm temperatures and precipitation supported the release of sluffs and pinwheels, with up to size 1.5 wet loose avalanche activity being reported.
A large skier triggered persistent slab avalanche occurred just north of the region. The slab height was roughly 60 cm deep on the Feb 14th surface hoar layer.
Recent reports:
Mar 1 MIN: A very close call
Feb 28 MIN: Avalanche fatality
The snowpack structure is a concern, human triggered avalanches remain likely.
Recent mixed precipitation fell as snow above 2000 m, with variable amounts across the region. Below this, a new surface hoar/surface crust layer has been buried.
In the top 100 cm of the snowpack, there are multiple concerning persistent weak layers of surface hoar and/or facets/crusts. The majority of the recent large and destructive avalanches occurred on well-preserved surface hoar in sheltered areas at treeline and below.
The remaining snowpack has no current layers of concern.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy. 1 cm of snow. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. 1 cm of snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 10 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 4 to 15 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
