The Bottom Line: Lutak received 2-3 feet of snow this week. This snow is available for transport by forecasted SE winds. Lingering wind slabs could also still be reactive.  N NE and NW slopes may be harboring windslabs, there are cornices building on ridges, and gullies/ other terrain features maybe cross loaded. The poor structure is widespread, additional stress from this weeks snow has being added, don’t be the trigger that tips the scale. Control what you can: human factor and terrain.

Terrain management is critical! Be prepared for an avalanche that could step down to deeper instabilities, creating a slide that could break very wide, and take out all the “safe” zones on a slope. Be extra careful not to group up in places that an avalanche can reach. Be diligent and patient, practice good group management, communication and decision making. Do not ski/ride on the same slope as another group. Travel one at a time or with enough spacing so that only one person is exposed to an avalanche path at any one time. 

Jan 25th melt freeze crust is ~3-4′ deep (with recent winds, there is a lot of variability on depth of this widespread layer) sitting on top of it are near surface facets, and buried surface hoar from Feb 1-4.

Surface Hoar observed in sheltered N-NE areas of Lutak Feb 1.

Pit from Feb 1 in Lutak reveals a layer cake of a snowpack.

An unlikely to trigger, but high consequence deep slab layer remains. The “Big Warm-Up layer” from Nov 17th is not to be forgotten about. Although currently dormant, a smaller slide triggered on the upper snowpack could step down and trigger this deadly beast.

Lutak, Feb 4 PST 70/130 End down 130 rounding faceted polycrystals.