An above freezing layer continues, keeping cornices on our mind.
Where the sun peaks out during the day, be aware of cornices while travelling on or below them.
Triggering of large, looming cornices are becoming unlikely with cooling.
It may be possible to find a pocket of triggerable wind slab in leeward features in the high alpine where snow remains dry.
In the past 3 days, reports of avalanche activity has been limited to:
a few cornice falls
pinwheeling and small loose wet avalanches out of steep solar aspects at alpine and treeline elevations
This type of activity is becoming less likely with cooling alpine temperatures and repeated melt-freeze cycling on solar aspects.
A widespread melt-freeze crust extends up to at least 2200 m. On shady aspects in the high alpine, dry snow is wind affected and firm. Cornices loom large.
The prominent mid-December facet/crust layer is buried over 1 m deep and extends up to 2200 m. Triggering the crust is considered unlikely, except with large loads or in thin snowpack areas.
Sunday Night
Clear skies. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.
Monday
Mix of sun and clouds. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny. 40 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
