Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 5th, 2025 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
Avalanche Canada,
Avalanche Canada
Pockets of wind slab may remain triggerable by riders in lee features near ridgetop.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
This MIN from near Duffey Lake on Friday describes shooting cracks and small natural and skier-triggered wind slab avalanches on west aspect in the alpine.
Snowpack Summary
5 to 10 cm of recent snow blankets soft and/or moderately wind-affected surfaces. The top 30 cm of soft snow sits over a crust up to 2000 m and wind-hardened surfaces at higher elevations.
A second crust is buried 60 to 100 cm deep and may have a layer of surface hoar sitting above it. There is uncertainty over its reactivity. It is most likely to be a concern in wind-affected, thin, and rocky start zones at higher elevations.
The remainder of the mid and lower snowpack is well settled.
Snow depths at treeline are roughly 100 to 150 cm.
Weather Summary
Sunday night
Clear. 5 to 15 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Monday
Sunny. 5 to 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Above freezing layer developing overnight.
Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C.
Wednesday
A mix of sun and cloud. 5 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
- Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
- Keep in mind a buried crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Watch for wind slabs on a variety of aspects including reverse-loaded terrain features at upper elevations. Be wary of thin or rocky start zones where wind slabs may sit over weak facets or a slippery crust.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 6th, 2025 4:00PM
