Avalanche forecast

Little Yoho

Mar 18 – 19, 2022
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

A little windier Friday night and a little warmer on Saturday is keeping the hazard rating steady. Keep monitoring the buried crusts on solar aspects.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Winds have been variable throughout the region, but expect fresh wind slabs in the alpine and some exposed tree-line locations.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1.5–3

    Buried crust/facet layers exist in the upper snowpack on solar aspects and all aspects below 1700m. Recent tests show moderate sudden planar results. Exercise caution in areas where these crusts exist, there is uncertainty about how they will react.

Weather Forecast

Continued flurries for Saturday with a few cm's of accumulation and a mix of sun and cloud through the day. Winds will be in the moderate range out of the SW at ridge crests. Temperatures increase slightly with treeline temperatures ranging from -5 to -3 C and freezing levels reaching 1800 m before falling back down on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

20-50 cm of recent snow forming fresh wind slabs in alpine and some treeline terrain with mod-strong SW winds. On solar aspects a variety of buried sun-crusts down 30-60 cm are producing moderate results in tests. In addition there is a buried temperature crust at lower elevations that exists on all aspects, and has been reactive in Kootenay Park.

Avalanche Summary

Explosive control on Whymper and Simpson areas of Kootenay Park on Thursday produced small wind-slabs up to size 2.5. Of note in Simpson area is when debris hit lower elevations (1800-1600 m) it triggered new slabs down 50 cm on a suspected temperature crust. Propagations on this layer were significant and extended up to 100 m.

Confidence

Regions covered