Don't be fooled by the lack of recent natural avalanche activity. The stiffer upper snowpack is sitting on a weak and faceted base. Back-country travelers can trigger large avalanches from a distance and below avalanche paths.
Lawinenprobleme
Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
Wahrscheinlichkeit
Possible - Likely
Größe
1–3
Previous 25cm snow and moderate SW winds have added to the windslab problem in the alpine and open tree-line features.
Deep Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
Wahrscheinlichkeit
Likely
Größe
1–3
Widespread whumphing and shooting cracks in previously un-skied terrain. Recent natural activity and remote triggering of this weakness resulted in avalanches up to size 3 failing on the weak faceted snowpack.
Weather Forecast
Sun and cloud with light flurries the next few days. Temperatures are cooling slightly into the -12 to -16 range. Winds light from SW shifting Northerly on Wednesday. Light flurries through the week with minimal accumulation.
Snowpack Summary
25cm new snow and warm temperatures last week at the Columbia Icefields with 35km/hr SW winds built a windslab at TL and ALP. A rain crust exists below 1900m. The dense upper snowpack overlies a weak faceted lower pack making for unpredictable and dangerous avalanche conditions.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday several size 2-3 avalanches were remote triggered by skiers a significant distance away in the McCarib Pass area. Several avalanches to Sz 3 occurred Saturday along the Parkway with one dusting the highway from Mt. Wilson. Widespread whumphing and shooting cracks were noted in the Whistler creek area on all elevations.