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The warm period continues before a new weather system moves in on Sunday. Loose wet slides and deep slabs are the main concerns, but watch out for glide cracks too! Things are likely to change on Sunday so keep checking this site. If you like our work, please visit the 'join us' page to support. We need to pay for the coffee required to wake up early and agonise over the wording in these forecasts!
OLD Size 3 natural slab avalanche on NE wall of the couloir on the far rider's left side of lower Kobi area.
A consistent snowpack of 100 - 150cm can be found around the area, with lower snow depths in the sub-alpine. Wind-loaded areas around ridges are deeper.
Layers of high-denstity wind-packed snow, and a couple of lower-density layers between these can be found, but these have caused only broken or resistant failures in tests. The main structural problem for now is a sugary, weak base at ground, around 10 - 20cm thick. This layer is unpredictable since the early snow cover was inconsistent. It's more likely to be found in the high alpine zone on W, N and E slopes, but has been seen in the alpine zone too. With recent heat, glide cracks are opening on grassy faces in the alpine and sub-alpine. A lot of surface hoar has been forming recently - if it survives before being buried by new snow, it could cause avalanches.
A mix of sun and cloud predicted for Friday and Saturday, with a freezing level of 2000 in the day time. Light to moderate S and SW winds, gradually strengthening through Saturday.
-Glide cracks are opening up - don't hang out below them because these areas of snow can slide at any time, regardless of time of day or temperature.
-Some areas are still deceptively rocky, e.g. S faces at high elevations.