Stanley, Sawtooths, western Smokys, Cape Horn

Despite the poor visibility and few observations, there were lots of signs of instability in the northern and western mountains: a natural avalanche and a remote triggered avalanche in the western Smokys, extensive cracking and collapsing in the northern Sawtooth Mtns, and collapsing in sheltered, lower elevation terrain near Cape Horn in the Banner Summit area. Given the steady stream of moderate to heavy snowfall expected in the coming days, these observations should be viewed as foreshadowing of what's to come.  

Skier triggered avalanche and collapsing were specific to E aspects near 8200-8300'. Most other cracking and collapsing was in wind-affected terrain, similar aspect and elevation - some minor, some running a couple hundred feet.

Snowfall totals: 60cm before noon at about 8000' in northern Sawtooths. 30-35cm at 1700 hrs at 6400' just west of Stanley. 40cm at Banner/Cape Horn area around 6700'. 

Remote ski-triggered, small avalanche in western Smokys: 8250', E aspect. It appeared to be subtly wind-affected at the crown, and especially on the looker's left side of the crown. At the trigger point looker's right of the crown, there was no wind effect. The slope cracked extensively to the sides of the slide. The party reported ridgetop wind-loading and slabs down to about 8200' in this typically windy portion of the western Smokys.  

Extensive skier-triggered collapsing and cracking on a wind-affected E aspect near 8250' in the Williams Peak area: A group cracked and collapsed a slope from a skin track in gentle terrain adjacent to the steeper slope.  The group reported finding wind-affected snow down to 7600' in places. 

Natural D2 avalanche in wind-affected terrain but with persistent slab characteristics, observed on a N aspect near 9000' in the Frenchman Ck drainage.

Skiers triggered a collapse in lower elevation terrain in the Cape Horn area, remotely triggering a bathroom sized pocket of snow in a steep area near a tree well.