Northwest Mountains

A few inches of new snow today will have little impact on the generally safe avalanche conditions.  Stay alert in high-consequence and extreme terrain for very isolated unstable snow like old wind-drifted slabs on leeward features.  Increasing cloud cover and light snowfall may reduce visibility in the afternoon.  

In the Northwest Mountains, the avalanche danger is LOW.  However, a windy period from last week formed wind drifts at upper elevations that produced human-triggered avalanches on Friday.  There could be an isolated drift, from the northerly wind event, where you might be able to trigger an avalanche.  If you venture into drifted slopes or extreme terrain, consider the consequences of taking a ride in a small avalanche.  Small avalanches can be dangerous above cliffs and terrain traps.

The avalanche danger remains MODERATE near and above treeline in the Southeast Mountains due to the risk of triggering a large avalanche on old weak layers deep in the snowpack.  Last week's northerly wind event produced a notable natural avalanche near Hunter Hill that broke near the ground and a snowmobile-triggered avalanche in the same area a day later.  The most concerning terrain is at upper elevations where recent drifting has occurred and on slopes with highly variable snow depths. Signs of instability like collapsing are unlikely until you find a trigger point and release a dangerous avalanche.  Outside of the above-mentioned avalanches, observations have pointed to a quiet snowpack in the Southeast Mountains.  Below treeline slopes have a poor-looking structure in some areas but appear to be unreactive to human triggers due to a lack of recent loading hence the LOW danger rating (poor structure on Cement Mountain, poor structure out West Brush Creek).  Follow safe backcountry protocol by exposing only one person at a time to a hazard in case you get surprised.

A multi-day stormy period begins this afternoon and lasts through Wednesday night.  Expect the avalanche danger to rise over the next few days as the new snow stacks up.