With fresh snow, some great skiing can be found, but it's hard to have faith in the snowpack. Natural avalanches should decline, but human triggering remains possible.
Reports of wind slabs being reactive in some locations. Remain vigilant in lee areas with new snow and wind where wind slabs are more likely and may be hidden by the fresh snow.
Three persistent weak layers formed in January are down 60-100 cm. The biggest concern is triggering these buried suncrusts on steep solar slopes, but weaker facets and isolated surface hoar can be found on the same interface on shaded aspects.
Weak facets and depth hoar are present at the bottom of the snowpack which inspires very little confidence. Be especially cautious in thin snowpack areas, which are likely areas for triggering.
Wind slabs hidden by fresh snow are in the alpine, and at treeline. These wind slabs overlie the various Jan PWL interfaces of sun crusts, facets, and surface hoar down 65-120 cm. The weaker Nov. 16 basal facet layer is down 100-200 cm and produces moderate to hard sudden collapse results. Deeper snowpack areas west of the divide are stronger and more supportive than areas to the east.
Ski hills explosive triggered size 1 wind slabs again today in previously worked terrain. Thursday, Louise reported semi-circular bowl (Lake Louise ski hill backcountry) had slid naturally to size 3. Avalanches to size 1 have been triggered on steep open slopes below treeline around Louise, in the maintenance cliffs area, failing on the ground.
Saturday: Partly cloudy skies with SW winds (20-30km/h) and isolated flurries developing in the afternoon as the winds shift to the East. Upto 5 cm expected along the East slopes.
Sunday: Expect cloud and steady light snow with SE to S ridgetop winds (20-30 km/h). Accumulations will be minimal.
Alpine temperatures will range between -10 to -15C for the weekend.
For a more detailed weather forecast, click here.
