The Bottom Line: New snow, wind loading, and warming temperatures increase the likelihood of triggering one of the many persistent or deep persistent slabs instabilities. The weak layers closer to the top of the snowpack could provide feedback, unlike the deeper.  N NE slopes could be harboring windslabs, cornices building on ridges, and gullies/ other terrain features maybe cross loaded. 

Only expose one person at a time to slopes 30 degrees and steeper. Be prepared for an avalanche that could step down to deeper instabilities, creating a slide that could break very wide, and take out all the “safe” zones on a slope. Avoid thin areas above 3000ft where there may be lingering depth hoar at the ground. Also, avoid steep gullies/couloirs/cliffy areas that may contain lingering pockets of deep slab instability. Be diligent and patient, practice good group management, communication and decision making.

Jan 25th melt freeze crust is ~ 2-4′ deep (with recent winds, there is a lot of variability on depth of this widespread layer) sitting on top of it are near surface facets, and buried surface hoar from Feb 1-4.

Surface Hoar observed in sheltered N-NE areas of Lutak Feb 1.

Pit from Feb 1 in Lutak reveals a layer cake of a snowpack.

An unlikely to trigger, but high consequence deep slab layer remains. The “Big Warm-Up layer” from Nov 17th is not to be forgotten about. Although currently dormant, a smaller slide triggered on the upper snowpack could step down and trigger this deadly beast.

Lutak, Feb 4 PST 70/130 End down 130 rounding faceted polycrystals.