Dangerous avalanche conditions continue to exist in the backcountry. Human triggered avalanches remain likely on many steep slopes facing west to north to southeast at the mid and upper elevations. We are primarily dealing with not one but two weak layers that are causing avalanches: a layer of facets and perhaps surface hoar buried Jan 22nd....and the old rotten facets and depth hoar in the basement. Both of these layers roared to life over the weekend and the avalanche cycle - both natural and human triggered - was nothing short of impressive, if not deadly.

We are on the back end of the parabola as shown below. We did hear of continued cracking and collapsing into our suspect layering yesterday, but no avalanche activity- the first day in many with no reported slides.

Here's the rub - the size and locations of the avalanches remain the same: They're predominantly on west to north to southeast facing slopes and the avalanches remain large and destructive - 2-5'+ deep and a few hundred feet wide. While likelihood/sensitivity slowly decreases, the uncertainty increases. In other words whereas the danger was obvious over the weekend, now it is less so...and I fear people may ride a couple slopes, get away with it, and think they're in the clear. They're not.

New and developing wind drifts should be on your radar if headed into the more exposed terrain today. The increasing southerly winds are strong enough to paint part of the landscape with soft wind drifts easily large enough to catch and carry a person in steep terrain. The drifts will be more pronounced on upper elevation west to north to east facing slopes in the higher elevation bands.