This problem is most pronounced on 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 at the bottom of our snowpack.

Signs of instability (cracking/collapsing) might not be present today, and you might even see tracks on the slope. In no way does this mean it's safe. All someone has to do is hit the right spot; the slope collapses, shatters like a pane of glass; you look left, you look right with nowhere to run. The avalanche you just triggered will likely be 2'-5' + deep and hundreds of feet wide, and likely unsurvivable. The best thing we can do is avoid the avalanche altogether by sticking to slopes under 30° degrees.

Zach Coury said it best in his recent observation: " The cool thing about skiing low angled powder is that it's one of the most fun things in the world." and I agree.

We've seen plenty of wind the past 24-36 hrs to keep us on guard for new and old drifts of windblown snow. The winds have mainly been from the west-south-west; however, yesterday's cold front ushered in some wind from the west and northwest. I would be on guard and keep an eye out for drifts of windblown snow well off of ridgelines and in cross-loaded features. As always, look for and avoid rounded pillowy looking snow.

On slopes that harbor weak faceted snow, the wind has only added to the problem and continues to overload those slopes making the avalanches larger and more connected.