Deep instabilities are still present in the snowpack and should be a factor in you decision making.
Where there is a thick supportive crust on the surface, slab avalanches are unlikely but watch as this crust breaks down through the day and the surface snow may become triggerable.
Two persistent weak layers are the main concern in the snowpack. One down ~30cm which, if triggered, could step down to the deeper layer (80-140cm) producing destructive slab avalanches. When there is a supportive crust on the surface, slab avalanches are not a concern.
Avalanche activity has decreased with cooler temperatures.
A widespread natural avalanche cycle up to size 3.5 occurred last week during the warm weather. These wet avalanches failed within the moist upper snowpack and stepped down to the persistent weak layer (over 1m deep).
A field team investigated a natural, size 3 avalanche that occurred on Mar 18th, on a N aspect at tree-line. The failure plane was down ~120 cm on the Feb 3rd persistent weak layer.
Up to 10cm of recent snow sits over a crust on most aspects and elevations except high alpine north facing slopes. Rain created a thicker crust below tree line, which is melting and refreezing with daily temperature swings.
A weak layer formed on March 9th is down ~30cm and the Feb 3rd persistent weak layer remains a concern at 80-140cm deep.
The lower snowpack is well settled and strong.
High pressure will maintain dry weather for the early part of the week with daily swings in temperatures and freezing levels (FZL).
Mon: Mix of sun and cloud, low -8 °C, light W winds, FZL 1600m.
Tues: Clouds and sun, low -7 °C, light W winds, FZL 1600m.
Wed: Cloudy with flurries - trace of new snow, moderate S winds, FZL 1800m.
