Good skiing overall, but we have lingering concerns for pockets of persistent slab in the Kootenay/Yoho areas, where a 20-40 cm slab may overlie the Jan 24 surface hoar and be reactive in steeper terrain. Watch for cracking as you enter steep terrain at treeline and below. Also watch for new small wind slabs in alpine lee areas.
10-20 cm of fresh snow with moderate SW-W winds in the past 48 hrs have created small fresh wind-slabs in immediate lee alpine terrain. Watch for these at the top of steep gullies and near ridgecrests.
A 10-30 cm slab over the Jan. 24th surface hoar layer could catch users off guard in isolated, shady aspects at treeline and below. Check the snowpack often and monitor the character and behaviour of the slab above this weak layer closely. Recent activity has been between 1600 and 1900 m.
A Parks Canada field team reported whoomphing, cracking and ski-cutting a size one avalanche on the Jan 24th surface hoar down 30-40 cm at 1800 m in the Simpson area of Kootenay Park.
A recent report from Yoho shows a reactive Jan 24 surface hoar layer down 25 cm at below treeline elevations.
No other new avalanches were observed or reported in these areas on Sunday.
10-20 cm of recent snow in sheltered north facing alpine areas that diminishes with elevation. Some new thin windslabs in alpine lee areas. The new snow overlies crusts on solar aspects and wind effect in exposed alpine areas. The Jan 24 layer (surface hoar/crust) is down 15-30 cm at treeline and below. This layer has been reactive in isolated pockets between 1600 and 1900 m (see avalanche summary). Below this interface, the snowpack is generally strong and well settled.
Monday: Light to moderate SW winds, treeline temperatures between -7 and -10°C. Becoming cloudy with a trace of snow during the day and more overnight. 5-15 cm of new snow expected by Tuesday morning.
