Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Boundary, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, Ymir.
Avoid features with dense, hollow sounding snow - wind slabs may remain triggerable.
Head to sheltered areas for the best riding.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Rapid wind loading on Friday produced slabs reactive to riders. On Saturday explosive control work produced slabs up to size 2. While winds have varied, avalanche activity has been noted on all aspects except east.
On Wednesday size 2 to 2.5 persistent slab avalanches were rider triggered, on north aspects around 2200 m. Check out this MIN report for further details from near Rossland (photo below).
Snowpack Summary
Strong easterly winds have stripped and scoured open features, forming dense, wind affected deposits of snow. In sheltered areas, 30 to 50 cm of settling snow exists. Check out this great MIN report from Kootenay Pass.
Below, a thin crust or layer of surface hoar can be found. Reactivity to riders has been noted in areas where the surface hoar is preserved.
Weak layers of surface hoar or facets and a crust continue to persist in the mid-snowpack and can be found down between 50 and 120 cm.
The lower snowpack is generally strong and well-bonded.
Check out this video on State of the snowpack for further details.
Weather Summary
Sunday Night
Clearing skies with 20 to 30 km/h northerly ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures remain around -8 °C overnight.
Monday
Clear skies with 20 to 30 km/h northerly ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures around -3 °C.
Tuesday
Increasing cloud. 10 to 20 km/h westerly ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Wednesday
Partly cloudy with 20 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Up to 5 cm of snow possible. Treeline temperatures around -3 °C.
If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a MIN report!
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind-exposed terrain.
- The best and safest riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without any slab properties.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
While slabs are likely becoming more stubborn to trigger continue to avoid wind loaded features - slabs have been surprising riders.
With these unusual easterly winds, watch for cross-loaded areas.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Persistent Slabs
This layer is most likely to be a concern in the north of this forecast region, and more likely to be triggered in areas where the snowpack is thin or shallow.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5