Check 511 for Highway 93 closure status. The snowpack needs more time to settle and stabilize following last week's massive storm. This lingering reactivity and an additional 15-20 cm forecasted for Tuesday will keep the hazard rating at considerable at treeline and above.
The plethora of new snow, upwards of 100cm, since Monday triggered a natural cycle of colossal scale. Any slope that did not release naturally already should be considered sensitive to human triggering. It would be an incredibly bad day to trigger this problem.
50-100cm of new snow in the Icefields created a storm slab. Expect them to be 20-30 cm deep in Bald Hills area. Recommended to avoid avalanche terrain for 48 hours while this problem stabilizes.
No road patrol March 23rd.
On March 22nd, a field patrol to Churchill noted no new naturals within the last 24 hours in the immediate area.
Explosive control on Saturday triggered numerous size 3-4's running almost full path.
A widespread natural avalanche cycle produced numerous, massive avalanches during and following the storm that occurred March 15 to 21.
Since March 16th, the Icefield's alpine has received 50-100 cm of new snow and Maligne has received 20-30 cm. A temperature and rain crust has formed below tree line and exists up to 2100 m. A persistent weak layer of surface hoar and facets is buried 50-150 cm. The midpack is generally well consolidated with facets near the ground. Average snow depths for the Icefields is 150-220 cm and Maligne is 60-140 cm.
Tuesday
Snow.
Accumulation: 22 cm.
Alpine temperature: High -3 °C.
Ridge wind south: 15 km/h gusting to 65 km/h.
Freezing level: 1700 metres.
WednesdayFlurries.
Accumulation: 9 cm.
Alpine temperature: Low -11 °C, High -3 °C.
Ridge wind west: 25 km/h gusting to 85 km/h.
Freezing level: 1600 metres.
ThursdayMainly cloudy with scattered flurries.
Accumulation: 4 cm.
Alpine temperature: Low -14 °C, High -11 °C.
Ridge wind west: 15 km/h gusting to 40 km/h.
Freezing level at valley bottom.
