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</style><p class="p_CC664AAA"><span class="s_3FE45715">New snow (20-40 cm) adds to the recent storm slab which sits on a</span><a id='GoToAdded' href="http://www.fsavalanche.org/Encyclopedia/surface_hoar.htm" target="_blank"><span class="s_B5813F7D"> surface hoar</span></a><span class="s_3FE45715"> layer and a sun crust layer that developed at the beginning of February. This layer continues to be reactive. Deeper down (between 40-80 cm) sits an old sun crust and well preserved surface hoar that was buried on January 23rd. This</span><a id='GoToAdded' href="http://www.fsavalanche.org/Encyclopedia.aspx" target="_blank"><span class="s_B5813F7D"> persistent slab</span></a><span class="s_3FE45715"> has been reactive and easily triggered over the past few days, especially from solar aspects and at treeline and below treeline over steeper convex slopes.</span></p><p class="p_CC664AAA"><a id='GoToAdded' href="http://www.fsavalanche.org/Encyclopedia/wind_slab.htm" target="_blank"><span class="s_B5813F7D">Wind slabs</span></a><span class="s_3FE45715"> persist in the alpine and at treeline. The loading pattern may change due to winds switching from the SouthWest to the NorthWest and form pockets of wind slab in unsuspecting places. At lower elevations a melt-freeze crust has formed due to the recent high freezing levels.</span></p><p class="p_CC664AAA"><span class="s_3FE45715">The mid-pack is well settled and strong. </span><span class="s_3FE45715">Watch the duration and intensity of the sun in your local riding area; it may weaken the upper snowpack. Cornices loom and threaten slopes below.</span><span class="s_3FE45715" /></p>