Start and finish your day early.
If you head up to high north-facing terrain in search of dry powder, avoid wind-loaded areas and overhead hazard.
Up to 30 cm of recent snow has formed slabs in wind-loaded areas at upper elevations. These slabs have been most reactive where they overlie a crust.
Weak layers in the upper and mid snowpack may become more reactive with strong sun and warm temperatures.
Wet loose avalanches are likely on steep solar slopes when the sun is strong.
On Wednesday, a skier triggered a size 1 wind slab on a south aspect in the alpine that failed on a sun crust.
On Tuesday, a skier remotely triggered a size 3 slab avalanche from 40 m away. It failed in the moist snow below the crust formed during last week's warm-up on a steep, southeast aspect in the alpine.
Large natural cornice failures continue to be reported and are a prime suspect for triggering large persistent slab avalanches.
On the surface, up to 30 cm of recent snow exists on northerly aspects in the alpine. Solar aspects and lower elevations will sport a crust or moist snow.
Below this, a 5 to 25 cm variable strength crust from last week's rain event is present. This is capping a moist upper snowpack.
The primary weak layer of concern was buried in early March consisting of surface hoar, facets, and a crust is now 80 to 150 cm deep.
Deeper weak layers from February and January are buried 150 to 200 cm deep.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear. 10 to 30 km/h northwest ridge top wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Friday
Mostly clear. 5 to 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature rising to 0 °C. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. 15 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature rising to +1 °C. Freezing level rising to 2200 m.
Sunday
Increasing cloud cover. 20 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level rising to 2500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
