Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 7th, 2014 3:00PM

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

Alberta Parks burke.duncan, Alberta Parks

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Kananaskis.

Forecasted strong winds have not materialized over the past 24 hours but they are expected to pick up again overnight and into Wednesday.  With loose dry snow available for wind transport we expect to see increased slab development.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Continuing to see generally mild temperatures with no new precip.  winds are forecast to pick up again over Tuesday night and into Wednesday.

Avalanche Summary

Several thin SSL at south end of Tent Ridge possibly 24-48 hours old.  Possible cornice or loose snow triggers.  Ran through rocky gullies onto skiable terrain near base of cliffs.  No other recent activity observed.  Size 3 SSL reported in Mt Kidd Bowl but no accurate indication of date of occurrence - debris ran to between two small ice climb practise areas near lower end of runout.

Snowpack Summary

Hasty profile at TL site on Little Tent Ridge on N asp.  HS 155cm, 20cm HST overlying 10cm P WSL  with 10cm FC below that layer.  1F-P slab overtop of 30-40cm basal FC's.  No Oct CR observed at this site.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Winds were generally light on Tuesday but are forecast to increase again overnight.
Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.>Enter your line well below ridge crests to avoid wind loaded pillows.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 4

Loose Dry

An icon showing Loose Dry
This problem becoming less widespread  but  still a concern but still in gullied features or terrain traps.  A potential trigger for slabs on lower slopes.
Avoid travelling under cliffs that are exposed to sluffing from above.>Sluffs may trigger deeper instabilities.>

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
A concern in all elevation zones on all aspects - any avalanche has the potential to step down into the deeper weakness and involve the entire winters snowpack.
Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.>Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 6

Valid until: Jan 8th, 2014 2:00PM

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