Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Banff, Banff Yoho Kootenay, East Side 93N, Field, Kootenay, LLSA, Lake Louise, Little Yoho, Sunshine, West Side 93N.
The deeper weak layers are still possible to trigger in thin snowpack areas in the alpine (see avalanche summary)
The ski quality has significantly improved over the past few days, especially on shady aspects.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported today. On Friday, there was a size 3 event on Hidden Bowl in the Lake Louise backcountry. It was a remote in the alpine from 200m away while uptracking in a thin snowpack area. See the photo below. There have also been some recent natural sloughs out of very steep terrain (mainly size 1), sliding on the March 20th interface.
Snowpack Summary
10-30cm of recent snow is settling. This snow has turned to crusts on steep solar aspects to ridgetop. On shady aspects there is little wind effect. This snow lies over the March 20 temperature crust, which extends to 2100 m on all aspects and ridge tops on solar aspects. The Feb 3rd crust layer is down ~ 50 -100 cm, and the basal facets persist in thin snowpack areas. Total snowpack depths range from 90-170 cm at treeline.
Weather Summary
Sunday: Light Winds NE becoming NW, valley bottom freezing levels, sun and clouds.
Monday: Light West winds, freezing levels rising to 1500m and sunny.
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Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
The Feb 3 crust/facet interface is down 50-100 cm. Cooler temps have lessened the likelihood of triggering this layer, but a slide in Hidden Bowl Friday shows slides are possible in thin, variable snowpack areas.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3
Deep Persistent Slabs
Cooler temperatures have reduced the likelihood of triggering this problem. However, thin areas in specific features in the alpine are the areas most likely for triggering.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3.5