Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing of the incoming weather system.

Sunday night: 5 to 10cm of new snow expected with moderate to strong southwest winds. Low of -2 at 1600m. 

Monday: stormy with up to 10cm of new snow expected with moderate to strong southwest ridgetop winds. Freezing level rising to 1600m.

Tuesday: stormy with up to 40 cm of new snow . Moderate to strong southwest winds and freezing levels rising to 1800 m.

Wednesday: a mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Freezing levels rising to 1500 m. Light westerly winds.

On Saturday ski cutting produced several slab avalanches to size 1.5 in treeline terrain. Natural loose dry avalanches to size 1.5 were observed in alpine and treeline terrain.

On Friday one sled triggered size two slab avalanche was reported. This avalanche was triggered in an open treeline feature on a west aspect and is believed to have failed on the late January layer.

On Tuesday a group of skiers remotely triggered a slab avalanche on an east aspect near ridgetop. We suspect it failed on facets above a crust. Wind loading above this layer was a factor.

5 to 15cm of recent snow has been redistributed by southwest winds forming wind slab on north and south aspects. South aspects are a mix of scoured and sun crusted surfaces. Moist snow could be observed at lower elevations.

A substantial crust from the start of March is down 30cm in the far southern part of the region.

The late January surface hoar layer is down around 100cm.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Use ridges or ribs to avoid areas of wind loaded snow.