Recent and wind drifted snow have added additional stress to buried persistent weak layers increasing the likelihood for human triggered avalanches in some locations. The danger is greatest on steep, windloaded, northerly aspects near treeline and above.

We have two primary persistent weak layers of faceted snow. The first layer is the old snow surface that faceted and weakened during the long high pressure spell. It is now covered by the last two storm events. Human triggered avalanches are most likely to fail here first and they could be 1-2 feet deep in drifted areas. It's important to carefully analyze any slope you are considering by digging down to see if this structure exists. Avalanches triggered on this weak layer could also step down into our second faceted weak layer at the base of the snowpack. Avalanches failing on this layer would be deep, dangerous, and possibly unsurvivable.

Full depth avalanches failing on basal facets may also be triggered from thin, rocky areas or along slope margins. This a less likely scenario but one that can't be discounted. Minimize your risk by avoiding thin rocky areas, steep convexities, and radical terrain.

I dug this pit on a NE aspect near treeline at 11,100'. An extended columnn test produced easy propagation (ECTP 6) on the buried near surface facted layer. Notice how the structure of this pit mimics the one below from Ryan Huels at a similar aspect and elevation.

This snowpit from Ryan Huels perfectly illustrates the snow structure we are most concerned with. Note the obvious dense slab on top over weak faceted snow. The diagram also illustrates the weak faceted layer at the base of the snowpack.