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

A layer of near-surface facets formed during the long December dry spell. This layer is now buried about a foot deep and has been sensitive in recent stability tests. It is especially reactive in areas where the wind has drifted enough snow to form a stiff slab over top. Human-triggered avalanches are most likely to fail here first and could be 1-3 feet deep in drifted areas. The snowpack is not giving us obvious signs of instability like cracking and collapsing, so it is important to carefully analyze any slope you are considering by digging down to see if the poor 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 un-survivable.

The overall height of snow is still relatively shallow, and the faceted snow at the base of the pack will remain a concern until we get a much deeper snowpack. While the chances are low, full-depth hard slab avalanches failing on the basal facets remain possible in thin snowpack areas or steep, rocky, radical terrain.

Eric's pit on a NE aspect near treeline at 11,100' is a great example of the current weak snow structure. An extended column test on Sunday produced easy propagation (ECTP 6) on the buried near-surface faceted layer.