Good skiing exists in areas that have been sheltered from the wind.
Quite a bit of variability exists in the upper snowpack with different layers of wind slabs, crusts and facets. Be diligent about assessing each individual slope.
Recent winds have created wind slabs in the alpine and treeline. These windslabs may be sitting on top of facets or the January 30th crust.
A variety of crusts with Depth Hoar above and below exist at the bottom of the snowpack. These layers are going to be with us for a long time and pose a low probability, high consequence situation if triggered.
A naturally triggered size 2 wind slab was observed at Bald Hills.
Numerous Loose dry avalanches on solar aspects have occurred recently.
There was a size 1 wind slab skier accidental reported on the back side of Parkers Ridge on the 14th. Check out the MIN on the main map for more information.
Marmot Basin was able to produce a size 2 cornice triggered avalanche with explosives on the 14th where the cornice chunks entrained loose dry snow.
There is widespread surface hoar where there has been no wind. The Icefields has seen extensive wind effect even into treeline while the Bald hills have had noticeably less. In sheltered areas there is roughly 15cm of snow overlying the January 30th layer which is a temperature crust or wind slab depending on the area. The midpack is weak and faceted. The bottom of the snowpack is comprised of large depth hoar and the early season crusts have all but broken down.
Wednesday
Cloudy with sunny periods.
Precipitation: Nil.
Alpine temperature: High -7 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 10 km/h.
ThursdayCloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries.
Precipitation: Trace.
Alpine temperature: Low -8 °C, High -5 °C.
Ridge wind west: 15-30 km/h.
FridayCloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries.
Precipitation: Trace.
Alpine temperature: Low -8 °C, High -6 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h gusting to 45 km/h.
