A winter snowpack still exists at upper elevations. Be diligent in your hazard management as you transition into the alpine.
Weather Forecast
Unsettled air from a series of low pressure systems hitting the south and then north coast will give several waves of snow flurries, with up to 15cm of accumulation by the end of the week. Tuesday: Cloudy with sunny periods. Flurries in the Icefields area (up to 5cm). Treeline temps: Low -3 C. High 1 C. Ridge wind light NW. Freezing level: 2300m.
Snowpack Summary
Recent small snowfalls are settling quickly, over a melt-freeze crust that extends in to the alpine on all apsects. Small windslabs can be found on lee slopes. A winter snowpack remains on alpine N aspects, with facets under an 20-50cm slab in isolated areas in the Icefields area and further South, and basal depth hoar in shallow snowpack areas.
Avalanche Summary
No new activity has been observed or reported.
Confidence
Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.