Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 24th, 2019 8:10AM

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

Parks Canada mark herbison, Parks Canada

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Recent wind and snow is forming pockets of wind slab in the alpine and exposed areas at tree line. Test adjacent low consequence features before making the decision to drop into your line.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Mainly cloudy today with light snow flurries. Alpine high of -10, Westerly winds 15-35 kph and the freezing level remaining at valley bottom. Cool temps and small amounts of precip over the next few days as a ridge of high pressure builds for the weekend accompanied by a possible spike in temperatures and rising freezing level.

Snowpack Summary

15cm in the past 48hrs rests on a strong, settled snowpack with only a few layers of note. The Jan17th surface hoar (20mm) is buried 20-40cm and seems most problematic at 1600-2100m in sheltered areas. The buried PWLs (Nov 21st and Oct Crust) have been unreactive in stability tests, but could be trigger from steep, shallow, rocky areas.

Avalanche Summary

Several sz 2 avalanches along the highway corridor from extreme terrain yesterday. No recent avalanche reports from the backcountry in our region, but several skier triggered avalanches up to size 2.5 to the East and West of the Park. Several skier triggered avalanches up to sz 2 last weekend running on the Jan 17 surface hoar / sun crust layer.

Confidence

Problems

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
The Jan 17th layer is down 20-40cm and consists of surface hoar in sheltered areas and sun crust on steep solar aspects. This layer seems more problematic between 1600-2100m where soft slab exists, human triggered avalanches remain possible.
Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Jan 25th, 2019 8:00AM