The season is young and observations are minimal.
Verify conditions and be cautious with your movement and terrain selection.
Barely buried rocks could be a hazard in the case of any fall.
Consistent light snowfall and moderate south to southwest winds may be creating reactive wind slab on leeward and cross-loaded slopes.
Retreat to mellower terrain if you find signs of instability like shooting cracks.
No new avalanches have been reported.
In general, observations are limited this time of year. Be sure to verify conditions as you go. This MIN (Mountain Information Network) post is a great example of folks who found concerning wind slab, investigated further, and decided to ride a different area based on their snowpack tests.
If you are getting out in the backcountry, consider making a post on the MIN.
Expect to find soft snow in sheltered areas, and wind slab on leeward slopes due to moderate to strong west or southwest wind. Recent light rain around highway elevation has made things a little soggy, with a breakable crust as you get a bit higher.
Wind has varied in direction over the past week, expect exposed areas to be generally wind-affected.
Below ridgetops there is an average snowpack depth of 100 cm. Snowpack depth tapers with elevation to around 60 cm at the highway. Many early season hazards are just below the surface at this elevation.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 25-40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 900 m.
Thursday
Cloudy. 3 to 4 cm of snow. 25 km/h west ridgetop wind in the morning, dropping to 10 km/h. Average treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level dropping from 900 m to 200 m.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. 5 cm of snow. 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C. Freezing level 0 m.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 4 to 10 cm of snow. 10 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C. Freezing level 0 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
