Poor snowpack structure (stronger snow over weaker snow) remains throughout the Wasatch Range. It's mainly a problem on shady slopes at the mid and upper elevations, where a slab of snow can release and fail in the weak faceted snow below. It's been about a week since our last load of snow was added to the snowpack, and the likely hood of triggering an avalanche is going down. However, it's not zero, as yesterday's slide in West Monitor demonstrated.

I get it - I see the tracks on the steep northerly terrain; it's where the best riding is. Just know that if you decide to ride steep northerly facing terrain at the mid and upper elevations, you are rolling the dice as triggering a slab avalanche 1-3' deep remains possible. A week ago, it was almost a sure thing you would trigger an avalanche. Today? Well, maybe it's a 1 out of 8 chance? I don't know... My strategy will be to avoid this steep terrain until the weak layer of faceted snow is buried so deep that it goes away or melts in the spring.

Hot Tip - Wind Drifted Snow can also add weight/load to the snowpack even though it's not snowing. We've had a lot of wind in the past four days.

Overnight the northwest winds picked up again and are currently blowing 15-20 mph across many of the upper elevation ridgelines. There is not a ton of snow to blow around, but I am always surprised by how the wind can grab what little snow is available and move it.

The winds have been primarily from the west/northwest for the past few days. However, when winds are this strong, they can work through terrain and create drifts on almost any aspect. Fresh wind drifts often look pillowy, smooth, and rounded. Older hard drifts will feel stiff/hard and sound hollow like a drum. Any wind drifted snow avalanche that is triggered can step down deeper into weaker layers making the avalanche that much bigger.

As always, keep an eye out for drifts of windblown snow and avoid those areas.