Avalanche Forecast

We’re in the bullseye of a series of winter storms over the next few days.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Freezing level at valley bottom, strong southwest wind, 5 to 10 cm of snow possible.

SATURDAY: Overcast, freezing level at valley bottom, strong south wind, light snow during the day with about 5 cm expected. 5 more cm expected Saturday night.

SUNDAY: Overcast, freezing level at valley bottom, strong south/southwest wind, 5 to 10 cm of snow expected during the day with another 5 cm Sunday night.

MONDAY: Overcast, freezing level rising as high as 1500 m, strong to extreme south/southwest wind, 5 to 15 cm of snow possible.

Despite the new snow and wind on Friday new avalanche activity was not observed as of publishing time (4:00 PM). But, continued snow and wind will likely create a storm slab problem for us by Saturday morning.

On Thursday a skier triggered avalanche was reported from the "Eggnog gully" which overlooks Tutshi lake to the south. The soft slab was 50 cm in depth, 10 m across and ran 10 to 15 m down into dense fir trees. The skier was not caught in the avalanche. The weak layer involved in the avalanche is unknown at this point.

It's storm time now, as of Friday afternoon 32 cm of new snow has fallen at White Pass. This adds to the storm snow that has accumulated over the past several days which has been accompanied by moderate to strong south/southwest wind as observed in this MIN post. Continued snowfall is expected through the weekend.

Around Log Cabin, around 70 cm of snow may overlie a layer of surface hoar. This layer was the culprit of avalanche activity during the week of Monday, January 4th. This layer has not been reported elsewhere in the region.

A buried crust from early December can be found 60-100 cm below the surface, but most reports suggest the snow is well-bonded to it.

The lower snowpack is strong around White Pass, but there is potential for a generally thinner and weaker snowpack structure to exist in inland areas, such as the Wheaton Valley. 

• Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
• Watch for rapidly changing conditions during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
• Sheltered slopes at lower elevations will offer the best riding.
• Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.