Avoid steep wind-loaded slopes near ridgetops. The best riding and lowest hazard will be in sheltered terrain with no wind-affect.
Recent southeasterly winds have built wind slabs on leeward slopes. It's a good idea to investigate how well the windblown snow has bonded before entering committing terrain.
On Saturday, cracking and a small size 1 slab avalanche were observed on a steep, wind-loaded southwest aspect at treeline on Hudson Bay Mountain. Check this MIN for further details
Early season reports have been extremely limited. Please consider submitting your observations to the Mountain Information Network.
10 to 20 cm of new snow is covering older wind-affected surfaces. Recent moderate to strong southeasterly winds have created wind slabs on many lee slopes. A rain crust from early November is buried 40 to 90 cm deep and seems to be bonding well to overlying layers. Alpine snow depths vary across the region, with up to 130 cm west of Smithers and around 60 cm to the east.Many areas below treeline do not have enough snow to meet the threshold for avalanches.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear. 25 km/h east wind. Treeline temperature -16 °C.
Monday
Mostly sunny. 10 to 15 km/h southerly wind. Treeline temperature -12°C
Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud. 40 km/h west wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
Wednesday
Cloudy with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
