Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Feb 13 – 15, 2024Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low

Highlights

Travel is fairly easy right now with the frozen crust which has about 10-20cm on it. This crust can be a sliding hazard on steeper lines.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    This avalanche problem is for isolated features high in the alpine.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    This will still be an issue in areas that escaped the heat, as there is no previous crust to hold the snowpack together.

Weather Summary

Wednesday will bring a mix of sun and cloud with a high of -16c in the alpine. Winds are expected at 10km/h from the NE. After that we are looking at some clear sunny days.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
  • Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.
  • Be carefull with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

One small size 1 natural loose dry avalanche was observed on steep alpine terrain that started in non-skiable terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Monday night's storm left us with a whopping 2-4cm. Now we are looking at 10-20cm of loose snow over the Feb 3 crust. This crust is anywhere from 0.5cm to 5cm thick up to 2500m and is on the thinner side on North aspects. Natural sluffing has subsided but can still gain momentum with skier traffic on steeper slopes. Some wind slab development in the alpine have been reported but so far, it is quite isolated to the higher alpine features. Ski quality is dust on crust in the alpine. The depth of the snowpack still varies from 70-130cm.

Regions covered