Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 11th, 2023 4:00PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

Avalanche Canada rgoddard, Avalanche Canada

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Southerly winds will be redistributing recent storm snow.

Avoid wind loaded terrain and monitor snow stability.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, local operators were able to trigger a number of storm slab avalanches with the use of explosives. Control work also focused on mitigating the overhead hazards that cornices now pose. Make sure to use caution in areas where cornices are present.

Thursday, avalanche control work was done by a local operator. They were able to trigger a cornice avalanche that triggered a buried layer when it impacted the slope below it.

Snowpack Summary

Alpine winds will have redistributed 40 to 70 cm storm snow this past week at higher elevations. As you descend in elevation wind effect decreases and the temperature effect increases and the new snow will be heavier and more moist

There are a number of crusts buried between 50 to 80 cm deep that were formed in January. It may have been on these layers that the avalanches that occurred this past week slid on.

A number of weak layers exist within the middle and lower snowpack. These layers have not been very reactive lately. Total snowpack depths are reaching 300 cm in some areas.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Increasing clouds into the evening, trace accumulation, winds southwest 20 to 30 km/h, treeline temperatures -2 °C.

Sunday

Cloudy, 9 to 13 cm accumulation, winds southwest 30 to 35 km/h, treeline temperatures -3 °C.

Monday

Mostly cloudy, 8 cm accumulation arriving primarily in the early morning hours, winds southwest 25 to 30 km/h, treeline temperatures -8 °C.

Tuesday

Sunny, no accumulation, winds north 10 to 15 km/h, treeline -9 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • The best and safest riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without any slab properties.
  • Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind exposed terrain.
  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
  • Caution around slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Moderate southerly winds have lots of available snow to transport from this past week's storm systems. Expect wind slabs in the immediate lee of exposed areas even at lower elevations.

Warming and cooling this past week may have created crust layer that could promote reactivity.

Be aware when travelling near cornices.

In areas that have not been wind affected, expect to find storm slabs.

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Feb 12th, 2023 4:00PM

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