Triggering a loose snow avalanche in the upper snowpack in steep terrain is our primary concern now as triggering deeper buried weak layers in the snowpack is unlikely--- while unlikely, the destructive size of an avalanche on this layer could be unsurvivable if triggered.
Use safe travel protocols in and around avalanche terrain, or on slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
Loose snow can move with you on slopes steeper than 35 degrees. This is a concern in steep, confined, or exposed terrain or terrain with consequences. Sluff management techniques are a good idea, and it's good to use caution where snow could push you where you don't want to go, like tree wells or cliffs. Keep your eyes on your partners.
In the lower portion of our snowpack, there is a weak layer that formed during a dry spell around November 10th. This layer of near-surface facets and surface hoar is rounding under the lens but is still looking poor structurally and is giving us moderate to hard results in compression and not showing signs of propagating or sending a fracture.
With the poor structure, we remain concerned with the potential destructive size of an avalanche that this could produce if triggered, and utilize our best travel protocols like keeping our eyes on our partners and only putting one person at a time on slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
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The snow is good and we are burying our weak layers. There are still a lot of logs, bushes, and rocks to be buried, so watch out for obstacles. We are less concerned with wind slabs as the winds have calmed over the last few days. General respect or caution near cornices and below ridgelines in steep terrain where wind slabs may form is still a good idea.
