Watch for warm temps and possible wind-loading at ridgetops. Be especially careful of venturing into deeper snowpack or wind-loaded pockets where denser snow sits over a weak base.
The snowpack remains very thin for this time of the year and Early Season Conditions persist.
The main concern is pockets of deeper or wind loaded snow where a denser mid pack sits over a weak layer of basal facets and/or an Oct melt freeze crust at the base of the snowpack. This weak layer can still be triggered by people and propagate a significant distance. Use caution in steep loaded terrain.
No new avalanches were reported or observed on Monday.
A size 2 natural avalanche occurred recently on Unity Peak near Lake Louise, likely failing on the facet/crust combination at the base of the snowpack.
Last week's storm snow has settled to 10-15 cm in eastern areas and only a trace out west, and has been redistributed in exposed areas by strong west winds. This overlies a previously wind-scoured snowpack with a thin suncrust on south and west aspects. The bottom of the snowpack consists of weak basal facets and a spotty melt-freeze crust from late October.
The snowpack is 30-50 cm deep at treeline with many areas still below threshold, and up to 90 cm in deeper alpine areas.
Mainly sunny skies are expected on Tuesday with moderate to strong west ridgetop winds. A slight temperature inversion is possible with alpine highs from -5°C to -3°C and treeline temperatures around -6°C.
For more weather forecast details, click here.
