Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 29th, 2023 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Deep Persistent Slabs and Wind Slabs.
CB,
Avalanche Canada
The possibility of triggering a deep persistent slab in steep rocky terrain remains our main avalanche concern, with the dangerous nature of the ski conditions following quickly behind.
Use caution if you're heading into higher consequence terrain, or gaining any significant velocity.
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche activity has been observed or reported in the last few days.
Snowpack Summary
There has been extensive wind effect at tree line and above, with windward aspects scoured bare, and hard wind slabs/wind effected snow on lee features. Sheltered areas have a weak faceted snowpack with the Dec 2nd surface hoar down 20-30cm, and depth hoar making up the bottom 10-30cm. Two thin melt freeze crusts from December (5th and 22nd) warming events exist below 1800m. Average snow depth at at tree line is 40-60cm.
Weather Summary
Mild and breezy weather with the possibility of a few flurries near the icefields will continue for the next few days.
The Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada https://www.avalanche.ca/weather/forecast
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Use caution when approaching steep and rocky terrian.
- Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.
Problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
You must keep this basal layer on your radar as triggering is possible in some features, like approaching or moving between pitches on ice climbs. Be cautious in steep terrain if you find yourself standing on the surface and not wallowing in facets, that's the problem slab.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Wind Slabs
Previous strong winds have stripped exposed alpine and tree-line terrain, creating wind slabs in cross-loaded and lee features.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 30th, 2023 4:00PM
