Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 1st, 2018 3:00PM

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

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Skier triggerable windslabs are being found in Alpine areas along wind affected features such as ridgelines and crossloaded slopes. This is still a very winter snowpack.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Well.... Good news is its calling for a mix of sun and cloud with 5cm of snow overnight. Bad news is temperatures are forecast to be around -20!!! Brutal! Feels more like february than April!

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity was observed over the past 24hrs.

Snowpack Summary

The recent storm snow the we received earlier in the week is settling and beginning to strengthen. Isolated windslabs are being found in Alpine terrain along ridge crests and gullied features but do not extend far downslope. On solar aspects there is a new thin melt freeze crust the developed on Saturday and then the deeper march 15th crust down closer to 50cm. Field tests are showing no results on this crust so far but we are still cautious in bigger south facing terrain. Dig down and evaluate this interface before committing to a feature.

Problems

Wind Slabs

The recent storm has formed wind slabs near ridge-crests in Alpine areas. Use caution at the entrances tterrain you plan on skiing or riding.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.Evaluate unsupported slopes critically.Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded slopes

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Persistent Slabs

Caution on solar aspects where the March 15th melt freeze crust is buried down 40-50cm. Evaluate this layer before dropping in. Unlikely much good skiing on these aspects due to recent crusts being formed.

Avoid steep Southerly aspects.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Apr 2nd, 2018 2:00PM