Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Tutshi, Wheaton, White Pass East, White Pass West, Yukon.
Skiers hunting dry snow on high north aspects have encountered touchy dry loose avalanche conditions in recent days. Have a plan for managing your sluff.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
We haven't received any reports of new slab avalanches, although a few riders reported sluffing in steep alpine terrain. Looking forward, daytime warming will increase the likelihood of wet loose avalanches on sun-exposed slopes.
Cornice falls are also possible.
Please consider sharing your observations to the Mountain Information Network.
Snowpack Summary
Predominantly wind affected snow surfaces are found in the alpine. Wind-sheltered terrain may hold settled soft snow that can produce dry loose avalanches with skier traffic in steep terrain. Steep sun-exposed slopes will moisten with daytime warming and freeze into a hard melt-freeze crust overnight.
Cornices are also large and looming at this time of year.
Weather Summary
Thursday night
Clear skies with possible valley cloud below 1500 m. 15 - 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Freezing level remaining elevated, rising to 2500 m.
Friday
A mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. A 1500 m to 2500 m above freezing layer dissipating and freezing level returning to 1700 m.
Saturday
Cloud dissipating to sunny skies in the morning. 10 - 15 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level to 1500 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 20 - 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline temperature around 0 °C with freezing level to 1300 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be carefull with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.
- The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
- Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
- Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Avalanche Problems
Loose Dry
Steep north-facing features produced large dry loose releases with skier traffic this week. Anticipate sluffing and have a strategy in place to manage loose snow in steep terrain.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Likely - Very Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Loose Wet
Wet loose avalanches could occur on steep sun exposed slopes during the heat of the day. Cornices are also large and may weaken with daytime warming.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2