Problem Details

Problem #1: Storm Snow

The last 48-hours’ new snowfall is upside-down: cold and weak underneath with a heavy cohesive slab on top. It sits atop a variable surface of crusts, hard slab, and patches of surface hoar. Bonding of this new snow will be poor and natural avalanches are likely today, especially in wind loaded areas. Moderate southeast winds have built up thick windslabs on north through west aspects, and cross-loaded terrain features/gullies on other aspects. On slopes steeper than 25 degrees, anywhere the new snow is wind-affected, expect dangerous storm slab conditions. 

Problem #2: Deep Slab

We still have 2-4mm depth hoar at the ground, beneath a hard midpack. During the last storm several slides ran on this layer as a heavy load of new precipitation placed strain on it. Now that things have settled down, triggering this deep layer will be difficult, but still possible. This is especially true in thin/rocky areas which will act as trigger points, and may cause remote triggering and wide propagation. The best way to manage this danger is to stick to areas with a deeper snowpack, make sure your safe areas are well-outside the danger zone, and include a wide safety margin. Careful group management is crucial right now, as any slides that break this deep could be large, and break wider than expected.