TODAY...RAIN SHOWERS...MIXED WITH SNOW IN THE MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATION TO 1 INCH...HIGHEST AMOUNTS WITHIN MENDENHALL VALLEY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. SNOW LEVEL RISING ABOVE 1500 FEET LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS AROUND 41. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 MPH BECOMING SOUTHEAST 5 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT...NUMEROUS RAIN SHOWERS IN THE EVENING...THEN RAIN LATE. SNOW LEVEL 1400 FEET DECREASING TO 600 FEET LATE. LOWS AROUND 34. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 MPH.

THURSDAY...RAIN. SNOW LEVEL 500 FEET IN THE MORNING. HIGHS AROUND 41. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 MPH.

In the last 24 hours we received 27mm of precipitation at the Tram most of which fell as rain. There is 5-6cm (2in) of new snow at the Tram that fell overnight as the front passed and temperatures cooled. We are below freezing at the Tram, Mt. Juneau and Eaglecrest this morning.

Mt. Juneau stayed a little cooler than the Tram and is reporting about 20cm (8in) of new snow in the past 24 hours. This means that our start zones stayed cold enough for snow yesterday and last night.

Winds also abated over night. Winds were steady around 20kts and above for most of the day yesterday but dropped to 5-10kts after midnight. The East/Southeast winds tend to cross load areas such as Thane Rd and Gold Creek. The winds have switched to more of a Southwesterly direction this morning.

Fieldwork at the tram yesterday found 5-20cm (2-8in)of new snow on top of some wet snow that was reactive in stability tests. With the additional load from last night and warming through the day I expect that layer to be reactive. However, I don?t anticipate the slides reaching developed areas other than the Thane/Gold Creek areas.

Main avalanche problems today are the potential for rain on snow, and the release of storm slabs from the gradual warming throughout the day. Precipitation is forecasted to moderate throughout the day with an additional ?? of water through tonight. This will give the snow pack some time to adjust to the new load. The persistent facet layer observed last week is not consistent enough to cause widespread slides in the Urban paths though it remains a hazard in the Douglas Alps.

Avalanche hazard is MODERATE today: Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible. Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas. Be increasingly cautious in or under steeper terrain and in avalanche zones.

Still a good time to stay off the Flume/Perseverance trail and out from under Thane Rd as a pedestrian.

For backcountry travelers dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Careful snow pack evaluation, cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making are essential. Human triggered slides are likely within the new storm snow as well as wind loaded pockets. It is also possible that a small slab release within the storm snow could step down into the persistent facet layer causing a much larger avalanche.

Today?s avalanche tip focuses on route finding. Here is a short excerpt from Backcountry.com;

?There?s no such thing as complete safety when you?re in the mountains, so smart travel in dangerous terrain is all about minimizing risk; read the terrain carefully, choose your route critically, and you?re more likely to make it home in time for dinner.

Before you opt for the gully, think about the consequences: it?s what?s called a ?terrain trap,? meaning that even a small avalanche can be catastrophic there. If you stay on the ridge, an avalanche is more likely to spread out underneath you, giving you a better chance of avoiding getting caught altogether. Whenever you?re moving, keep an eye out for terrain traps and other features like cliffs or trees that, if you got caught, could turn a small avalanche into a serious disaster.

It?s also vital to know the steepness of the slope you?re thinking about hitting, as well as its direction, or aspect. Almost all avalanches happen on slopes between roughly 30 and 45 degrees, which also happens to be prime ski terrain; steeper slopes tend to regulate themselves more efficiently, while shallower pitches generally don?t have the requisite energy for a major slide to occur.?

Check out this route finding exercise developed by the Canadian Avalanche Association.

http://www.avalanche.ca/cac/training/online-course/reducing-risk/route-finding-exercises