Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Dec 13 – 14, 2012Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 14 years ago

Avalanche danger

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

Good skiing can be found in sheltered areas, especially below 2500m but above 1750m.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    The wind slabs from earlier this week seem to be isolated to ridge lee features and high, open alpine terrain. A field team ventured into Yoho today and found soft slabs only at ridge-top. Likely there was more wind on the Wapta.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–3
    Large planar faces or steeper, convex features that have been recently wind-loaded should still be given a miss due to this lingering problem.

Weather Forecast

No snow is forecasted for the next 2 days, but we may see moderate W winds higher in the alpine tomorrow. Temperatures should remain at seasonal values or slightly warmer.

Snowpack Summary

Variable surface wind slabs have been found in immediate lee ridge features, as well as open terrain above 2800m. In sheltered locations, very good skiing can be found from 2500m to as low as 1750m. Lower than that and things get a bit thin. A well-settled mid-pack sits atop the Nov 6 rain crust. The crust was observed to be breaking down in Yoho.

Avalanche Summary

Sluffing to size 1 was observed in the last 24 hours from steeper, NE-facing slopes. Evidence of an old skier-triggered slide near Observation Peak in a cross-loaded gully.

Confidence

Regions covered