Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 8th, 2025 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.
Parks Canada,
Avalanche Canada
Recent strong winds out of the SW have scoured snow from some areas and deposited windslab in others. Pay attention to the texture of the surface snow and avoid steep terrain with wind effect.
Ice climbers: gully avalanches may run further than expected given the dry, sugary snow in all the avalanche paths.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Local ski hills were reporting small windslabs 10-15 cm deep that were failing with explosives in alpine and isolated treeline terrain.
In Yoho, a natural size 2 ran to the bottom of the runout in one of the avalanche paths between Carlsberg and Guinness.
Snowpack Summary
A few cm of new snow and a lot of wind has created windslabs in the alpine and at treeline. These sit on a layer of facets and surface hoar that may or may not become a bad sliding surface. The middle and bottom of the snowpack are weak, with depth hoar and facets near the ground. An average of 60-100cm of snow can be found at treeline elevations.
Weather Summary
We are in a period of active weather, although not much snow is forecast. Thursday should be mostly sunny with moderate to strong NW ridgetop winds. Friday into Saturday we should see a few centimetres of snow with extreme SW winds diminishing throughout the day on Friday. Temperatures will remain cool throughout the period.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
- Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.
Problems
Wind Slabs
A few cm of new snow with a lot of westerly winds have created small windslabs in alpine and isolated treeline areas. We suspect these are small in most areas, but a size 2 natural was observed on Mt. Dennis in Field that may have initiated as a windslab.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
As the wind redistributes the snow and conditions change, this problem may become more reactive. Fresh windslabs may step down to the weak snow on the ground and result in larger, more destructive avalanches. Large open slopes at the treeline and in the alpine remain suspect.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 9th, 2025 4:00PM
