Kananaskis

Good skiing can still be found in sheltered areas. Generally a weak snowpack, approach all overhead hazard and avalanche terrain with caution. Check out this fresh size 3 avalanche at: https://www.instagram.com/kananaskissafety/

One new natural cornice triggered avalanche that was about 12 hours old in the Burstall Pass area. Check out the video and description at: https://www.instagram.com/kananaskissafety/

The forecasting crew went back to Burstall Pass and were surprised by the large avalanche. The wind slabs in the top 25cm are slowly gaining strength but still reactive to large loads. Generally a weak snowpack that will remain for the rest of the year. At most elevations, the bottom half of the snowpack is made up of facets. The alpine has great variability in snow depth. Cornices have started to be on our radar, choose routes carefully. Have a look at the avalanche summary.

Thursday will start off with a mix of sun and cloud and -20c. The clouds will roll in during the day and flurries will begin in the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to climb up to -8c, along with moderate SW winds.

The weather models for Friday are not all in agreement but they all talk about snow. Some models are talking about 5cm and others are up to 20cm. Stay tuned.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Be aware of the potential for surprisingly large avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
• Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.