Wind slabs building in alpine

<p>We sledded above Fraser to Bryant Lake and up to the Notch. In the morning 10 cm of powder was light and fresh. We saw recent snow was sluffing in many small and narrow size 1 dry loose avalanches out of high alpine terrain. We skinned up to Taiya Glacier to 1700 m where we probed 260cm snow depth and found great ski quality skiing the NE slope back into the Bryant drainage. There are numerous hard interfaces in the top of the snowpack, including a firm wind affected surface below the new snow and another stiff interface 75cm down. It was warm in the alpine today, freezing level was around 1000m and it was only -4C up high at 1700m. Clouds rolled in, snow started and visibility deteriorated after lunch and we could see significant wind transport at ridge top from a strong wind, a sure sign that wind slabs are actively forming this afternoon. </p>

Terrain Ridden

Alpine slopes, Steep slopes.

Terrain Avoided

Convex slopes.

Avalanche Conditions

Rapid temperature rise to near zero degrees or wet surface snow.

Snow Conditions

Powder.

Weather Conditions

Cloudy, Foggy, Stormy, Sunny, Warm, Wet, Windy.