Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 24th, 2015 8:00AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Dry.

danyelle magnan, Parks Canada

Glacier.

Looks like a very merry Christmas for back-country skiers and riders! The snow quality is great and there's sun in the forecast. Watch for sluffing and be cautious where the snow is wind affected to make sure you are home in time for turkey dinner.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Cool and dry arctic air is moving in. Expect broken cloud today with alpine temps steady around -18'C and light winds. Christmas day should be sunny and cold, with light northerly winds increasing later in the day. Temps will start to warm up a bit on Saturday to -8'C with increasing cloud and wind. By Sunday flurries will bring another 5cm.

Snowpack Summary

Light winds and flurries bring the total to 50cm of low density snow this week over the settled storm snow from last week. Recent observations indicate that the Dec 2 surface hoar layer is becoming hard to trigger and generally the snowpack is strong. Periods of wind have created pockets of soft windslab. HS on glaciers range from 180cm to 300cm.

Avalanche Summary

Yesterday there was one natural avalanche observed in the Park. It was a size 2.5 from a very steep north facing path off Mt Macdonald. There was one skier triggered size 2 avalanche east of the Park. It was a 40cm deep windslab on a NW aspect in the alpine and ran 600m.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Recent winds have been shifting directions. Pockets of windslab may be lurking in unusual places. Be especially cautious in steep terrain where the consequences of a fall caused by a small pocket of windslab would be serious.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Loose Dry

With 50cm of low density snow expect sluffing in steep terrain. Be aware of where other people are, regroup in safe spots, and avoid exposure to terrain traps.

Be aware of party members below you that may be exposed to your sluffs.Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Dec 25th, 2015 8:00AM