Rabbit Ears: Harrison Creek

Small to large persistent slabs on N-E aspects at all elevations

Steep slopes with wind-drifted snow are the most likely places to trigger an avalanche today. Slides may break just below the new snow or to the ground. You will find drifted snow on a variety of slopes but it will be most pronounced on north to east facing slopes. Look for and avoid thicker drifts of snow below ridges or steep rollovers. You will find safer conditions on low-angled slopes or wind-sheltered areas.

Slopes with wind-drifted snow can break all the way across the snow-covered slope, pull out all the recent and old snow, and become large enough to bury a person. Consider avoiding steep slopes with wind-drifted snow.

In wind sheltered areas, you may find the snowpack soft storm snow on top of faceted snow, and the entire snowpack unconsolidated to the ground. These are areas you could trigger loose-snow avalanches on very steep slopes. These slides will be small, but could still drag you through rocks or over cliffs. Expect to trigger these on very steep slopes with more than a foot of unconsolidated snow.

Neither of these avalanche issues will go away anytime soon.