San Francisco Peaks / Kachina Peaks Wilderness

Wind slab avalanches will continue to be a hazard today.  A skier or rider could trigger one of these avalanches with a 6 - 18" crown on steep terrain in starting zones, on the side of ridgelines or in cross-loaded areas.  Avoid features of pillowed or mounded snow, and if you see signs of instability, such as cracking, or slabs of snow separating from the snowpack, retreat from your line and choose another route.  

The Holiday Ice Lens and other obstacles, such as rocks and logs, continue to be a serious hazard on low elevation slopes, south facing aspects and in wind scoured areas.  Evaluate slopes closely and use particular caution during access and egress. 

The snowpack is beginning to adjust and  the avalanche danger related to snow loads from last week is decreasing.  The exception is wind slab instability, caused by wind transported snow from yesterday.  This problem will remain a hazard today, and forecasted gusts of 20 mph could keep wind slabs active for at least another 24 hours.   Most of these slabs are in small isolated pockets, but larger wind slab avalanches could be possible.

If wind slab hazard is new to you, learn how to identify wind loaded terrain.  Be on the lookout for loaded slopes, wind textured slopes, loaded starting zones and cross-loaded gullies.  If you see mounds of snow, rounded pillows of snow, or deeply loaded areas, move cautiously and don't be afraid to back off if any cracking is observed.  This wind slab will most likely be found in steep terrain today.  Be cautious above rocks or steep cliffs, as even a small pocket of wind slab could knock you off your feet and send you tumbling down steep slopes.   Multiple wind slab avalanches have occurred naturally and artificially over the past 72 hours.  

About the Persistent Slab Hazard:  This storm's snow fell on a complex snowpack that includes several potential persistent weak layers. A brief season rewind: a significant storm impacted the Peaks in late November, followed by a generally dry and warm December. This period produced basal facets, although warmer periods moderated facet development. This dry period was followed by two significant rain events over the Holidays, which have plagued the season with the dreadful Holiday Ice Layer (HIL).  Following the Holidays, we have had several smaller storms that have fallen on top of the HIL, but this snow was often redistributed, stripping windward upper-elevation aspects, leaving the ice crust exposed. In areas that have maintained this newer snow, subsequent dry conditions with strong day and night time temperature differentials created a layer of near-surface facets. These events have created a complex snowpack that contains two persistent weak-layer problems (e.g., near-surface facets and basal facets), each with its own distribution.  Triggering an avalanche of this type is becoming less likely due to the snowpack adjusting to the new load, but it remains possible in locations where this problem is present.

The snowpack remains thin and variable after this storm cycle and in many locations high winds have ablated the new snow down to the Holiday Ice Lens.  This ice hasn't vanished and is still challenging to navigate on west facing wind scoured slopes and on some wind exposed east facing slopes.  The ice lens, in combination with various low snowpack trip hazards, such as rocks and logs, is keeping travel more risky.  This is a good day for conservative decision making and general skepticism.  If you're entering an unknown snowpack take the time to fully evaluate slopes and surface conditions.  If you don't know the snowpack structure, consider digging a quick pit and doing a round of stability tests before committing to a specific plan.  Carrying some type of traction assistance, such as an ice axe, crampons or ski/board crampons is still recommended.  Continue to be prepared for challenging travel conditions. 

For more information on conditions check out the latest observations.  

If you get out, please submit your observations or email us at [email protected].