This area has been separated from the region because of its thinner snowpack, where the basal facet layer remains. Although there have been very few recent avalanches on this layer, and cold temperatures are expected to reduce its sensitivity, one person still triggered it on Tuesday, resulting in a waist-deep burial.
Basal facets or a facet/crust combination remain near the ground. It is most susceptible to triggering in thin-to-thick snowpack transition areas.
No new avalanches observed in a flight to Mt Wilson today.
On Tuesday, just outside the Lake Louise ski area boundary, one person triggered a size 2, 40-70 cm deep on a west-facing, cross-loaded slope at 2450 m. They appear to be the 7th track down the slope and hit the sweet spot near a thin area that released the avalanche near the ground. The person was buried to their waist and lost their skis, but otherwise uninjured.
Surface hoar growth and faceting are widespread. Constant moderate to strong winds have blasted the alpine snow surfaces. The surface facetting is helping to a degree by creating soft snow in some areas.
Deeper in the snowpack is the layer of surface hoar, down 50-60 cm, and still producing moderate - hard, sudden planar test results, but no avalanches. At the ground, basal facets exist in thin snowpack areas, but overall, this year's deeper snowpack is stronger than usual.
The strong ridge of high pressure dominating BC and AB remains stationary, with no change expected for at least another 6 days. Over the next week, expect clear skies, NW winds and cold temperatures, with lows on Thursday night down to -25. Weather models are calling for a pattern change starting around Tuesday, Jan 27, when the winds return to a westerly flow, temperatures moderate and light snow begins to fall.
