There's still snow up there if you aren't one to let cloudy skies and rain stop you! Be ready to manage variably crusty or isothermal snow and lingering cornices if you head out.
Island cornices already took a beating, but there are a few large ones left in classic spots with large fetches, like the summit ridge of Albert Edward. Avoid traveling under them and--as always--stay well back at ridgetop!
Cloud cover and light rain may keep the snowpack closer to an isothermal state than it's been recently. Other than this slushy snow creating difficult travel conditions, it also makes wet loose avalanches possible on steep slopes.
No avalanches have been reported recently, and under current conditions, very little activity is expected. If you get out into the backcountry, post a MIN!
Cloud cover and light rain will work against crust recovery Friday night, likely keeping the snowpack a bit closer to an isothermal state on Saturday. This follows recent melt-freeze cycles that offered more inviting travel conditions atop the region's throughly settled snowpack.
Although minimal forecast rain doesn't promise much snowpack change, travelers should still watch for slushy, isothermal conditions. Aside from making travel difficult, wet loose avalanche danger can also develop when this condition is in play, a counterpoint to slip-and-fall hazards when the surface is frozen.
We still have about 190 cm at 1450 m but it's melting out quickly on solar slopes.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers, 1 to 2 mm. 10 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 8 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers, 2 to 4 mm. 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, easing. Treeline temperature cooling to 4 °C. Freezing level falling from 2400 m to 2100 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers, 1 to 3 mm. 5 to 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline high temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.
Monday
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers, 1 to 4 mm.10 to 15 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline high temperature 5 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
