Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 26th, 2014 8:00AM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is considerable. Known problems include Persistent Slabs and Cornices.

chris gooliaff, Parks Canada

Glacier.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/scond/Cond_E.asp?oID=15974&oPark=100205We still have a significant instability buried in the snowpack, so resist the temptation to jump onto the big lines. Lots of sun and rising freezing levels will stress the snowpack on solar aspects today.

Summary

Weather Forecast

We should see plenty of sunshine today with freezing levels rising as high as 1900m. Clouds will roll in tonight with a minor disturbance bringing trace amounts of snow tomorrow. The freezing levels will remain elevated until Friday, when we head back into the Arctic deep freeze with clear skies and cold temperatures.

Snowpack Summary

1-1.5m of storm snow is settling into a cohesive slab over the Jan 28/22 facet/surface hoar/crust interface. Snowpack tests suggests this weak layer is difficult to trigger, but if failed has high propagation propensity. Below this the snowpack is well settled. A surface sun crust has been found on steeper south and west aspects.

Avalanche Summary

Several size 2.5 avalanches were observed from southerly tree-line aspects yesterday. From Saturday a size 2.5 slab avalanche was observed around noon behind the Asulkan Hut. This could have been remotely triggered or triggered naturally, but is indicative of the lingering persistent weak layer buried a metre below the surface.

Confidence

Problems

Persistent Slabs

The 1-1.5m slab over the weak layers continues to settle and become more cohesive. This problem will take a while to heal and requires good terrain management. Be wary of open, unsupported slopes and convex rolls, particularly at tree-line and below.

Use conservative route selection, choose moderate angled and supported terrain with low consequence.Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches due to the presence of buried surface hoar.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Cornices

The large cornices adorning the ridge-crests will see lots of sunshine and warming today, potentially destabilizing them and causing them to fall. The mass of these "freight-trains" smacking the slope could be the trigger to start a very large slide.

Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices.Cornices become weak with daytime heating, so travel early on exposed slopes.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Valid until: Feb 27th, 2014 8:00AM