Hoping this finds Everyone keeping well.
Travelling over a fair amount of glaciated and alpine terrain 20km north and north-west of Whistler today revealed both a recent and previous widespread and large natural avalanche cycle on the buried layers of surface hoar currently up to 40-70 cm beneath the surface of the snowcover. The terrain that was 'performing' naturally was mostly alpine, convex, north-aspects and even, in places, relatively gentle alpine terrain. One large natural avalanche that released on the January 24th buried surface hoar began as a natural cornice fall five days ago then proceeded to pull out a big slab that even propagated out onto 15-degree (or shallow-angled) terrain.
There is also a good deal of terrain that has not released and so caution is advised. Choosing smaller scale slopes without overhead exposure nor terrain traps, and terrain that is gentler and 'supported' is currently a safer means of mountain travel.
Surface hoar is a fragile crystal type and, when buried at current depths along with cohesive snow above it, can result in dangerous and widely-propagating slabs.
My best bet is that defaulting to using safer terrain is more important than trying to 'out-think' a layer(s) like this right now.
Wishing Everyone safe travels in the hills.
Best regards,
Dale Marcoux
ACMG Asst. Ski Guide
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