Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Apr 1 – 2, 2014Alberta Parks
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Still some great skiing but watch out for thin new crusts forming on sun exposed terrain.  Not a great deal of natural avalanche activity but it seems as if every day there is at least one new large event occurring - most originating at treeline.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–4
    Previously formed windslabs are now hidden beneath the recent storm snow the area has received.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    2–5
    In a couple of new profiles on Tuesday we found this layer still producing clean shears in the 'hard' range down as much as 130cm near the divide.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Some loose moist surface activity on steep solar aspects - the sun is starting to pack a lot of punch now that we have moved into April .

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Wednesday - alpine t3emps near -7 deg.  Winds light from NW and a mix os sun and cloud with some light convective flurries.  A small wave of new precip looks like it will hit the area by Friday.

Avalanche Summary

Not a lot of new activity however there was one new natural Size 3.5 on along Pocaterra Ridge which ran to the middle of the runout zone jumping one hump and clearing timber from it and along the edge as well. Evidence of several other Size 2-3 over past several days in seldom visited areas - some of these started in thin rocky areas along ridgetops and picked up significant volume as they moved downslope

Snowpack Summary

Some solar influences late in PM on steep sun exposed slopes with moist snow down 10cm. Recent storm snow settling with warming temps in PM. Consistently finding hard shears on the Feb 10 down 90-130cm - the shears are still sudden planar when they occur.

Regions covered