Wicked Wind

With a strong shift to northwesterly winds over the weekend, we headed into the alpine to investigate potential wind slab development at higher elevations. What initially looked like a beautiful day quickly turned challenging. Strong northwest winds combined with cold temperatures made for very unpleasant conditions, and we ultimately cut the day short due to frostbitten faces. We did not observe any evidence of recent natural avalanche activity. Surface conditions were highly variable. We encountered everything from hard, bulletproof wind crust to small pockets of low-density snow, as well as areas of soft wind slab. Wind slabs are present on a variety of aspects. Be particularly cautious in areas that are slightly sheltered from the wind, where slabs may be more cohesive than they appear. Carefully assess start zones and watch for cracking or hollow-feeling snow. Stay warm out there.