Cooler temps overnight may promote better travel in the early hours to get to nice dry North facing snow, Plan to start early and finish early, watch the changing snow conditions, especially on solar aspects if the sun does come out.
Watch for windslabs on all aspects in alpine areas. These slabs will be more reactive where they are overlying a temperature crust.
The Feb crust has been the main bed surface for many avalanches this winter. Slopes and features that have not slid should be treated cautiously or just avoided. Dig and look.
Facets near the base of the snowpack may be triggered from thin areas and this season there are lots of thin areas. Dont try to outsmart the snowpack and stick to conservative terrain until we get into a good spring diurnal cycle.
No field teams today. No avalanche reported.
20-40cm of last week's snow has settled fast with the warm temps and has become moist on all aspects below 2400m. This overlying a temperature crust that developed early in the week. This crust is being found up to 2300m and while supportive to skiing, its sitting on top of a generally moist snowpack. Crusts are common on the solar aspects but less so on the more polar sides. There are some isolated windslabs in alpine areas along ridgelines but this problem does not appear to be widespread. Recent snow combined with cloudy weather hasn't allowed the snowpack to get a significant refreeze that is common for spring time.
An important thing to consider at this time of year is the quality of the freeze overnight. Over the past 2 days, freezes have been generally poor with overnight lows only around -8C. Avalanche danger can change from low in the cool mornings to high in the hot afternoons. The timing of this change is important to monitor so plan you trips with these factors in mind.
Monday once again will be a mix of sun and cloud. No snow in the forecast and a night time low of -9. (One of the colder nights we have had in over a week.) The winds will be howling up high in the 50-70km/h range from the West
Freezing levels will hover around 1900 meters.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
