Assess whether there are slab properties in the surface snow as you travel through different terrain features.
Deep instabilities are still present at the base of the snowpack and are more likely to be triggered in shallow rocky areas.
10-20cm of soft snow has been redistributed into windslabs in lee features particularly at ridgetops. They appear to be stubborn to trigger but be sure to assess this before entering wind effected terrain. Watch for windslabs on all aspects as winds have been variable in direction.
A variety of crusts with facets above and below exist at the bottom of the snowpack. These layers are going to be with us for a long time and pose a low probability, high consequence situation if triggered.
On February 5th, a size 2.5 Deep Persistent Slab avalanche was observed in the Churchill area along the 93N. It was triggered by cornice fall and stepped down to the Deep Persistent layer.
The 10-25 cm from Feb 1st, mostly redistributed by wind, sits over top of a weak layer consisting of temperature crusts, winds slabs, or faceted snow. The midpack is weak and faceted. The early season crusts are faceting and breaking down but continue to persist along with large depth hoar at the base. The snowpack at tree line is 70-130 cm in the Icefields area and 50 cm in the Maligne area.
Monday
Sunny with cloudy periods. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: High -17 °C. Ridge wind northwest: 10-25 km/h.
TuesdayCloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Precipitation: Trace. Alpine temperature: Low -24 °C, High -18 °C. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 35 km/h.
WednesdaySunny with cloudy periods. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: Low -24 °C, High -18 °C. Ridge wind west: 10 km/h.
