Loose Wet
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1–2
Cooler freezing levels and a stiff westerly wind will lower the likelihood of wet snow avalanches and cornice failures on Wednesday, especially at upper elevations and in any terrain where you find a firm supportable crust.
At lower and mid elevations, another mild overnight and warm-enough day means you still need to worry about wet snow avalanches in specific terrain features. Wet loose avalanches may be sluggish to initiate on lower angled slopes, but don't be fooled and continue to avoid very steep terrain (steeper than 40 deg) where you find wet, punchy snow. If you step off your skis, board, etc, and you're surprised how much you sink in, don't engage with complex terrain like chutes, gullies, or steep slopes above cliff bands.
Cornices have melted back, but you can still find these sagging, bulky hunks of snow struggling to hang on above ridgelines after several days in the heat. Given their potentially large size and unpredictable failure, they pose a risk to travelers along ridgelines where they can break back further than you'd expect and onto the slopes below. Continue to give cornices a wide margin for safety.
(3/7/2024)
Continue to avoid very steep rocky terrain wherever you find wet punchy snow.
Photo: Koby Yudkin