No recent avalanches have been reported, but poor snow pack structure remains on shady mid and upper elevation slopes. This layering is known as “strong over weak” - a denser slab of snow above a persistent weak layer of sugary, faceted snow. While this layering has not produced avalanches the past few days, it’s hard to completely trust it.

The strong winds will find some snow to drift, adding a little more weight in the form of wind drifts. Steep, rocky north and north easterly facing terrain with fresh wind drifts is particularly suspect, and even slopes that have already slid this season can slide again.

Wind directions have ranged from the southwest to northwest, and speeds are strong enough to erode and drift some snow. Clues are an etched, hard snow surface where the winds have eroded snow and hard, rounded, hollow sounding drifts where snow has been deposited. With fast wind speeds, look for the new wind slabs, or drifts, at both upper and mid elevations. They will be on the lee sides of ridge crests and around terrain features, like gully walls, sub ridges and down into open bowls.