South Rockies

Assess surface conditions before committing to steep or extreme terrain.

If the snow feels unconsolidated dry loose avalanches are possible.

High

• We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast.

Over the past 2 days several dry loose avalanches up to size 2 were reported in steep, north facing terrain. These avalanches were triggered naturally and by skiers.

The snow surface is variable but A crust with large surface hoar above it is the predominant  surface. Small, stubborn wind slabs may remain in north facing terrain in the alpine and upper treeline.

Two notable buried layers persist, but are not currently a concern:

• A layer of surface hoar or a sun crust from early January is buried 25 to 60 cm deep.

• A crust with facets can be found near the base of the snowpack (persisting in shallow areas).

Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy. Trace amounts of snow possible. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy. Trace amounts of snow possible. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Friday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Loose avalanches may start small, but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
• Make observations and continually assess conditions as you travel.