Wind slabs have been reactive and may remain triggerable on steep, lee features.
Check for potential slabs before entering committing terrain.
Wind slabs have been very reactive in the region, but should be slowly gaining strength. They may remain triggerable on steep wind-loaded alpine slopes, including the lee sides of ridges and cross-loaded features.
Sunny, warmer periods can make wet loose avalanches more likely on steep slopes. Use appropriate sluff management techniques and avoid being under cornices or steep sunny features during the warmest parts of the day.
Thursday
An avalanche near the Duffey resulted in assistance from search and rescue. See photo.
Several size 1 to 2 skier-triggered slabs & reports of whumpfing & shooting cracks.
Natural wet loose sluffs and cornice falls to size 1.5.
Wednesday
Numerous skier-triggered and natural storm slabs up to size 2.5, mostly on northerly alpine slopes.
Looking Ahead
Wind slabs will continue to be most concerning on lee north and east-facing features.
15 to 30 cm of storm snow from earlier this week is slowly bonding to an underlying crust. Reactive wind slabs may still exist at upper elevations on shady northerly through easterly slopes.
Sun-affected slopes likely have a surface crust, which may melt and soften with daytime warming.
The remaining snowpack has no current layers of concern, having undergone multiple melt-freeze cycles, forming a mix of crusts and dense, rounded snow. Lower elevations may have wet or isothermal snow to ground.
Friday Night
Mostly clear skies. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Saturday
Sunny. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level rising to 2100 m.
Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level rising to 2700 m.
Monday
Sunny. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 8 °C. Freezing level rising to 3000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
