Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Little Yoho.
Ski quality has gone downhill due to the winds and warm temperatures. Ice climbers avoid pockets of hard windslabs on steep features in the alpine. SH
Weather Forecast
Light to mod. NW winds Sunday (Front ranges may have E winds Sunday AM) . A trace of snow is possible over the front ranges, but overall dry conditions are in the forecast . Alpine temps around -10C Sunday with freezing levels near valley bottom.
Snowpack Summary
10-20+ cm variable windslabs from strong W/NW winds over last 3 days. 25-35cm over Jan 6 interface of facets and/or surface hoar (preserved W of divide treeline and below). Helen Ridge profile at treeline found mod. compression results on a 15cm surface windslab, with no results below on a mainly facetted snowpack. Thin sun crust on steep S slopes.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported today. Winward slopes have been scoured to the bare rocks in many areas East of the divide.
Confidence
on Sunday
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs to pencil stiffness are possible to trigger in steeper terrain. These are becoming more stubborn to initiate as warm temperatures bond these to the surfaces below. Caution where these sit over facets in thin snowpack areas.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Persistent Slabs
The Jan 6 layer could be a failure plane in areas with enough load or on steeper steeper unsupported features. Dig down and look for surface hoar or prominent facets. (best preserved in the Kootenay region).
- Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2