Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Mar 22 – 23, 2014Alberta Parks
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Conditions are slowly improving but human triggering is still a very real possibility. This is NOT the time to ski large terrain features.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Wind slabs between 20 and 40cm thick are found in the Alpine and high Treeline areas on most aspects. More snow and winds on Sunday could lead to an increase in sensitivity with these slabs.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    3–5
    The Feb persistent weak layer is buried 80 to 110cm and is giving variable results in stability tests. This interface may be easier to trigger from shallow snowpack areas. If triggered this weakness has the potential to produce large avalanches.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Between 5 and 10cm of new snow is possible by Sunday afternoon. Temperatures should reach -10 degrees with moderate West winds.

Avalanche Summary

A few naturally triggered sluffs have been observed in the past 36hrs up to size 1.5. These occurred on all aspects in steep Treeline and Alpine terrain. A report was received late this afternoon of a skier-triggered avalanche on Mt Engadine. Details are still sketchy, but it sounds like this event occurred on a West aspect at Treeline.

Snowpack Summary

No new snow overnight. Recent storm snow of 20 to 25cm is settling despite the cool temperatures. Soft wind slabs between 20 and 40cm thick have formed in the Alpine, but these seem relatively well bonded to the previous surfaces. The Feb 10th layer persists down 80 to 110cm and continues to give highly variable test results.

Regions covered