Today's storm is gonna put our weak layers to the test, especially where the snowpack has remained thin and sugary all year, like slopes that have avalanched multiple times. Problem is, everything is gonna look white and uniform and feel super solid under our sled, board, or skis. So, I'm approaching steep, shady slopes with a "guilty until proven otherwise" mindset. I'm keeping it tight and simply avoiding shallower areas of the snowpack like steep, rocky terrain where I'm more likely to trigger an avalanche that breaks deeper and wider than I might expect. In addition, if I decide to step out, I'm gonna make sure the slopes I'm choosing don't have any overhead hazard.

As the storm continues to materialize, strong southerly winds coupled with fresh snow, whip up dense drifts reactive to our additional weight. Found mostly on the leeward side of ridges in terrain facing the north half of the compass, I wouldn't be too surprised to find a fresh drift or two lurking around a terrain feature like a chute or gully wall. In either case, I'm looking for and avoiding fat, rounded pieces of snow, especially if they sound hollow like a drum. And remember... any avalanche triggered, might pack more of a punch, especially by late in the day.

There's a myriad of old, hard, slick surfaces which provide an efficiant surface for avalanches to run on. With more storm snow stacking up, we'll wanna avoid sustained steep slopes, where even a small slide can catch me off-guard and knock me off my feet.