The snow quality might not be particularly inviting, but the way it is enabling fast, far, and relatively safe travel is a big upside. It's a great time to explore!
Cornices may be weak and reactive to human triggers. They are a significant hazard alone, and may produce large slab avalanches as they fall onto the slope below. Cornice falls are more likely as temperatures warm each day, or when strong sunshine is present.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mainly cloudy. Light variable winds shifting northeast.
THURSDAY: A mix of sun and cloud. Light variable winds shifting south. Treeline high temperatures around -3.
FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow, increasing a bit overnight. Moderate south winds. Treeline high temperatures around -3.
SATURDAY: Cloudy with continuing scattered flurries and 5-10 total cm of new snow. Light rain below about 1300 metres. Moderate southeast winds. Treeline high temperatures around 0 to +1.
No new avalanches have been reported over the past week on the Canadian side of White Pass. Things have been different on the US side with at least one very large natural avalanche as well as some ice falls leaving ice chunks and 4-5m debris piles on the rail line in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday.
A size 3 cornice-triggered slab avalanche was observed near White Pass last Tuesday. This avalanche occurred on an east aspect in the alpine.
Several small human-triggered wind slabs (size 1) were reported during the outflow wind event early last week.
A few windblown cm of new snow have added to heavily wind affected surfaces from last week's strong northerly winds.
On south and west facing slopes up to 1400 m a surface crust from spring sunshine can be found, while other aspects hold dry snow. The mid-snowpack is generally strong, overlying weak basal facets at the base of the snowpack.
Check out this MIN report for an overview of current conditions in the Fraser area.
