Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Mar 1 – 2, 2012Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 15 years ago

Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

A number of skier-triggered avalanches in the past few days shows people want to attack the slopes. This is NOT the time to ski your big line, but instead, show some restraint and give the weaknesses time to heal. It may be a while...

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Moderate winds this week have also created thin, but stiffer wind slab conditions 25-35 cm deep on ridgetop lee terrain. These have been seen to step down to the Valentine layer. Skiers on Fairview triggered a large slide yesterday, lucky to survive.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3
    Snow depths over the Valentines surface hoar and suncrust on steep solar aspects range from 20cm E of the Divide, to over 45cm at Sunshine and Yoho. Where the wind has stiffened these slabs, skiers have triggered big enough slides to bury them.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    In the Lake Louise backcountry today, we encountered a weak, shallow snowpack. Tests done here showed hard results, but sudden collapse, on the basal facets. The slides reported yesterday on Bosworth and Fairview both had stepped down to ground.

Weather Forecast

Snowpack Summary

Avalanche Summary

Confidence

Regions covered