Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 18th, 2023 1:00PM
The alpine rating is Wind Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeNice skiing is being found in sheltered locations. Enjoy the sunny weather, be mindful of your overhead as you work though terrain. The sun continues to pack a punch!
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
On a road patrol today, No new avalanches were observed. Natural triggering has tapered off, but human triggered avalanches remains possible.
Snowpack Summary
Last week's storm snow has settled into a pleasant 20cm of settled snow. So far the winds haven't made an appearance which means we've been spared a widespread wind slab problem. There are some wind slabs still lurking in the alpine, but they generally seem to be high and in steep alpine terrain. But there is a catch (when isn't there?), the March 12th crust (solar) or facet (polar) layer is a slippery one and it doesn't need much of a cohesive surface layer to pose a problem. Unsupported alpine and treeline terrain is still concerning. The mid to lower pack remains variable, in every sense of the word. The depth changes dramatically on elevation, and the supportiveness of it seems to change at the drop of a hat. Thin spots and rocky areas are still a likely place to trigger the deeper problem layers.
Weather Summary
Sunday will bring partially sunny sky's with Light SE winds. Freezing @ 1900m
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating or solar exposure.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Watch for windslabs in immediate lees along ridgelines and in gullied terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
The alpine is still variable in total amounts of snow but the basal layers haven't changed. The entire lower half is either facets, or depth hoar. Thin weak areas should be treated as suspect and avoided.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 19th, 2023 4:00PM