Seeking north-facing dry snow at higher elevations will place you in the same terrain as the primary avalanche problem, so use low consequence slopes to gain information before exposing yourself. Remember that new snow seeing its first sun exposure will likely shed naturally.
Small new wind slabs in the immediate lee of ridgetop may react to human triggers on Sunday. Up to 30 cm of dry storm snow has now accumulated on a crust in similar terrain, so the possibility exists for slabs to fracture deeper than expected.
Light accumulations of new snow could lose cohesion and become unstable with solar warming during the day. Avoid exposing yourself to terrain where a small wet loose release could have big consequences.
Saturday night: Clearing. Moderate northwest winds easing to light by morning.
Sunday: Sunny. Light northwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -5 with freezing levels to 1500 metres.
Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light northeast winds. Alpine high temperatures around -4 with freezing levels to 1700 metres.
Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light northeast winds, increasing a bit overnight. Alpine high temperatures around -4 with freezing levels to 1700 metres.
Small natural dry loose releases were noted on southeast aspects in the Kootenay Pass area on Saturday.
Reports from the same area on Thursday describe periods of intense solar warming triggering several natural point releases entraining our recent storm snow up to size 1.5.
A similar pattern should be expected through Sunday as recent light accumulations are once again triggered by their first exposure to solar input. New wind slabs may also be reactive to triggers in immediately leeward terrain features, with some potential to step down to a 30 cm-deep crust layer.
5-10 cm of new snow through Friday night accumulated over a new melt-freeze crust on solar aspects and otherwise added to a rapidly settling 5-20 cm of snow from Wednesday's storm. This previous storm snow formed wind slabs on north through east aspects, overlying yet another crust on all aspects below 2000 metres. Wind affected new and recent accumulations may have instead added to settled dry snow in terrain above this elevation.
