Strong wind created drifts which will be sensitive to the weight of a person again today. These drifts will mainly be found on more east facing slopes but watch for "crossloaded" terrain features on all aspects in the mid and upper elevations. Look for cornice formation which will indicate the slope below has been loaded. Watch for "pillowy" looking areas of snow which also indicate wind drifted snow. My partner and I noted shooting cracks during our travels on Friday which is also an indicator of unstable areas of wind drifted snow.

There are a few pre-existing weak layers of snow already in the snowpack which the new wind drifted snow is stressing. My partner and I noted "collapsing" or "whoomping" of the snowpack during our travel on Friday. This is Mother Nature's hint telling you that these buried weak layers are unstable. These layers were active last week resulting in a number of snowmobile triggered avalanches. Judging by the depth of the skier triggered avalanche on Friday, it is likely that we'll find that the avalanche failed on a buried Persistent Weak Layer of sugary snow.