Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 3rd, 2014 8:00AM

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

chris gooliaff, Parks Canada

Glacier.

Spring-time skiing means getting an early start and an early finish to your day, avoiding the heat in the afternoon.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Today will be mainly cloudy with snow arriving later in the afternoon/evening. Freezing levels may rise as high as 1700m, but then drop with the arrival of the trough. Winds will be light to moderate from the SW at ridgetop. Snow should ease Friday morning, with unsettled conditions and flurries through Friday afternoon.

Snowpack Summary

Temperature crust on solar aspects, the Mar 22 down ~ 30-50cm, the Mar 13 crust down 75cm, the Mar 2 down 1-1.5m. On north aspects the upper snowpack consists of settling storm snow to about 1600m below which there will be a crust. The Feb 10 surface hoar crust layer is down 2m.

Avalanche Summary

There was very little activity observed yesterday, probably due to the cloud cover hanging overhead for most of the day. A size 2 slide was observed from a steep N-facing start-zone west of Rogers Pass.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

Problems

Loose Wet

Low elevation areas may see avalanche activity with the day-time warming, especially if the sun pops out.

Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up. Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

The upper 1-1.5m of the snowpack has numerous sun and temperature crusts within it. These may become sliding layers with day-time warming and the possibility of a strong April sun popping onto the slopes.

Travel early before the heat of the day, and avoid big slopes in the afternoon.Avoid shallow snowpack areas where triggering is more likely.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Apr 4th, 2014 8:00AM