Strong, erratic winds have creatd a complex landscape. Recent slabs of wind drifted snow exist on top of older ones, although due to the amount scouring, they are isolated. Basically, any slope facing NW through N through E. that has enough snow to ride is susp[ect. Wind slabs are recognizable by their smooth, rounded, "pillowy" appearance and they may sound hollow underneath. Cracking is a sign of instability. Look for unstable areas of wind drifted snow on the the leeward sides of ridge crests and terrain features such as rock outcroppings, sub ridges, and gully walls. Due to higher wind speeds, they may also exist further down slope than you expect. Avoid steep slopes that have recent deposits of wind drifted snow.

We are carefully monitoring the snowpack as the underlying structrure is very weak and comprised almost entirely of loose, weak, sugary, faceted snow on W-N-E aspects. A widespread cohesive slab has not yet developed, but in areas that have complex layers of wind drifted snow, a weak, faceted layer will produce the failure. Expect this problem to become more widespread when we add more snow.