Early season hazards such as rocks and vegetation lurk under a shallow weak snowpack. Ice climbers are most vulnerable to loose dry avalanches in gulleys and terrain traps where the ice forms.
Scramblers, alpine and ice climbers, snow shoers, hikers and riders may all encounter variable windslabs throughout the region. Be extremely cautious in terrain traps, and creeks where even a small slide could have dangerous consequences.
New snow and wind will increase frequency of loose dry sluffs in steep terrain. Thin ice climbs with shallow protection or tenuous run outs increase the likelihood of a long sluff-induced fall when scratching up early season ice.
Forecasted new precipitation totalling 26mm expected in the Ice fields, starting Friday morning and steadily building over the weekend. Temps will remain below freezing above 1700m with highs of -1 and a low of -10.
A detailed forecast can be found from Avalanche Canada's, Mountain Weather Forecast.
Expect to find an early season snowpack with fickle support under foot/ski and hidden hazards like rocks and vegetation. Generally, the snowpack structure will be extremely variable in the forecast region. A thin October crust has been observed in the ice fields with some evidence of an active, soft wind slab from steep terrain in the Alpine.
Wide spacial variation through the region with most areas still below threshold for travel. Rideable snow may be found at Tree Line and in the Alpine with buried and new developing wind slabs possible at ridge tops and open areas. All back country users (including you ice climbers!) should be carrying avalanche safety gear.
