Deeply buried weak layers are expected to become active with rising freezing levels.
Choose conservative terrain free of overhead hazards.
If triggered, this problem will likely be the full depth of the snowpack and could run below treeline. Avoid shallow, rocky start zones.
While there has been no slab avalanche activity recently, just west of this region where there is more new snow on the snowpack there have been several large (size 3) avalanches.
On Tuesday there were two skier-triggered deep persistent avalanches (size 1.5-2) west of Invermere in shallow areas. Both times there were tracks on the slope and the skier who triggered it was caught, buried, and recovered uninjured. (one partial burial, one full)
Recent snow continues to settle and bond. This new snow is sitting atop old wind-affected snow and weak, sugary facets.
The mid-snowpack is generally made up of faceted snow and various old crusts.
At the base of the snowpack, weak faceted grains and depth hoar are present, particularly in alpine terrain.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy with a trace of snow, southwest alpine wind 30 to 40 km/h, treeline temperature -5 °C.
Saturday
Cloudy with no snow, southwest alpine wind 15 to 30 km/h, treeline temperature -2 °C.
Sunday
A mix of sun and clouds with a trace of snow, southwest alpine wind 20 to 40 km/h, treeline temperature 3 °C, freezing level 2500 m.
Monday
A mix of sun and cloud with a trace of snow, southwest alpine wind 20 to 40 km/h, treeline temperature 2 °C, freezing level 3000m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
