The fresh snow on the way should improve riding conditions. Frequently dig down to the persistent slab and evaluate conditions before committing to any steeper terrain. This problem will be with us for some time, and human triggering is possible.
This sits upon weak faceted crystals, sun crust or a dense layer that are perfect for slab avalanches. North aspects may be more susceptible to triggering as these areas did not experience a strong melt-freeze cycle like the solar sides did.
No new avalanches have been observed or reported today.
Between 2 and 20cm has fallen in the past 48hrs, with the average being about 8cm at treeline elevations. The main concern right now is the persistent slab 15-30cm thick that is resting on the Jan 30 interface made of facets, sun crust or another dense layer. The mid and lower snowpack is primarily facets. Natural avalanche activity has tapered, but human triggering remains possible, due to the dense slab overlying a lot of weak facets. Forecasters have little confidence in the snowpack. Travelling at lower elevations involves ski penetration to ground if you leave any established trail.
Light flurries will begin overnight on Tuesday and extend through the day on Wednesday. Between 5 and 10cm are possible by Wednesday afternoon. Winds will be light from the West with temperatures near -5C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
