East Slopes North

Monday will feature partly cloudy skies and moderate temperature inversions, with avalanches unlikely. Snow surfaces are firm and variable. Be prepared with equipment to prevent an uncontrolled fall on steep frozen slopes. 

The weather and avalanche conditions haven't changed much over the past week in the East North zone. On Saturday and Sunday, skies cleared, and temperatures warmed slightly over previous days, just barely reaching freezing at 6,600ft and staying in the 20's at middle and lower elevations. The main change for Monday will be increasing clouds. It's worth keeping an eye on slopes above you for large cornices. While a falling cornice is unlikely, they are still large and overhung.

With avalanches unlikely, travel conditions should be at the top of your list of mountain hazards. Clouds won't allow slopes to soften during the day. Instead, a firm surface crust could cause uncontrolled slides. For human-powered travel, it's a good idea to carry crampons (for skis and/or boots) and a self-arrest tool.  Although crusts should be the main surface you encounter, you might find weakening surfaces on shaded slopes. You may encounter other conditions unfriendly to travel, including runnels (from rain) and variable, bumpy snow under the tree canopy.

As we lead up to our next storm (fingers crossed), pay attention to any potential weak surfaces that could get buried. On the 25th, an NWAC Forecaster near Cutthroat Lake reported surface hoar in the valley, and that shaded, northerly aspects had a thin, weak surface crust with faceted grains beneath. Sun-exposed slopes softened from the sun, but not enough for corn ski conditions.