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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 11th, 2025–Apr 12th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Glacier.

Use caution on north facing slopes in the alpine: riders are triggering a reactive wind slab.

Its spring and conditions vary greatly depending on aspect, elevation and time of day.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Backcountry report of skier triggered, sz 2 wind slab on the Dome glacier @ 2450 m on a NE asp. This avalanche likely failed on an isolated layer of surface down 10-30 cm. See MIN on Thursday for another skier accidental, sz 2.5 with involvement on this interface. Dig down and have a look for this layer before jumping into large or committing features.

Thursday our field team found a reactive storm slab on a steep alpine features, that failed 10-20cm deep and 5m wide.

Snowpack Summary

Falling freezing levels will strength upper snowpack, freezing a series of melt-freeze crusts. Seek high alpine, north facing slopes to find dry snow. Recent storm snow has formed a slab on lee features, with a recent crust as a bed surface. This wind slab is most reactive on lee slopes loaded by southerly winds and where spotty surface exists.

Use caution below treeline, conditions are variable and challenging travel exists.

Weather Summary

Unstable, moist spring weather continues, with falling freezing levels and light snow on Saturday.

Tonight Cloudy w/clear periods Alp low -7°C. Ridge wind light SW. Freezing Level (FZL) 1200m.

Sat Sun, cloud, and flurries. Alp high -6°C. Ridge wind W 25-40km/h. FZL 1600m.

Sun Mix sun & cloud. Ridge wind W 15-30. FZL 1800m.

Mon Clouds with sun, isolated flurries. Alp high -4°C. Ridge wind W 15-30. FZL 1800m

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.