Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 12th, 2016 4:07PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Persistent Slabs and Wind Slabs.
Lisa Paulson,
Avalanche Canada
Many large natural, explosive and skier triggered avalanches over the past week. Cooler temperatures & cloud cover help, but still wise to avoid steep features and large slopes. Give it time and make conservative terrain choices this weekend.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Expect cloud cover and cooler temperatures through the weekend. Light snow tonight will have little impact.
Snowpack Summary
A surface windslab 10-30 cm thick continues to be reactive in tests on alpine lees on Friday. A 50-100 cm slab overlies the January 6th weak layer of surface hoar, facets and sun crust and snowpack tests indicate an unstable bond between the two. The lower snowpack is facetted and quite weak, especially in shallower areas.
Avalanche Summary
There have been many large natural and explosive triggered avalanches in the past week triggered by warm temperatures & solar radiation. Activity tapered Friday with the lack of solar input. Emerald Lake slide path slid on Wednesday size 3, but not a full cleanout with lots of remaining hangfire on the climbers left side of the path.
Confidence
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Widespread natural & explosive triggered avalanches on this layer in the past week. In thinner areas, avalanches are scrubbing down to ground. With the cooling temps, this should become less reactive, but is still a concern for skier triggering.
- Avoid areas with overhead hazard.
- Avoid paths that have not avalanched recently.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Wind Slabs
Be mindful of cross loaded features and the lees of ridges where windslabs 10-30 cm thick continue to be reactive. If triggered, there is potential to step down to the persistent weak layer and to ground in thin areas.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 13th, 2016 4:00PM
