As of Wednesday, Jan. 28
Approximately 25 cm of low density snow has fallen during the past several days over a series of settling soft slabs and thin rain crusts which comprise the upper snowpack. Strong SW winds overnight formed a windslab on some lee slopes, scouring any slopes exposed to it down to the underlying old snow surface.
You can expect to find pockets of windslab of varying stiffness up to 40 cm in depth that in many areas remain reactive to ski testing.
The Jan. 15 crust remains strong to 2,100 metres. The facetting within the overlying layers is variably developed. A surface slab in motion has the potental to step down and trigger a release on this layer on some isolated slopes.
As of Wednesday morning Jan. 28 th the backcountry avalanche danger is rated as CONSIDERABLE.
Conditions may vary and can change rapidly. Check for the most current conditions before heading out into the backcountry. Daily updates for the areas adjacent to Whistler/Blackcomb are available at 604-938-7676, or at www.whistler-blackcomb.com/weather where there is also a link to the CAA public avalanche bulletin, or call 1-800-667-1105.
