Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 10th, 2015 8:00AM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Cornices.
andrew jones,
Parks Canada
An incoming weather system will create new avalanche problems for the weekend. Watch for increasing hazard with new snow and strong winds.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Winter weather is back. Mainly cloudy today with flurries and up to 4cm of accumulation. Freezing levels rise to 200m this afternoon with SW winds gusting to 55km/hr. A cold front arrives tonight with dropping freezing levels, 14cm of new snow and strong SW winds. Scattered flurries and cold temperatures persist for the weekend.
Snowpack Summary
Melt freeze cycle below 2500m is formed a strong, 20cm thick crust. In the top meter of the snowpack there are multiple crusts that are reactive to tests but would likely need a large trigger. On Wednesday, dry facetted snow was found on northerly and shaded aspects above 1900m. Surface hoar on shaded aspects will get buried this weekend.
Avalanche Summary
The daytime heat triggered 2 natural cornice avalanches that pulled out slabs on the slope below. On the North face of Mt Bonney and Mt Clarke, a cornice triggered a size 3.0 avalanche that failed on glacier ice. Glide crack avalanches continue to be observed below treeline up to size 2.5.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Problems
Cornices
Temperatures may be cooling but cornices are still the main problem in Rogers Pass. Recent cornice failures have triggered persistent instabilities buried deep in the snowpack. The resulting avalanches are large with serious destructive potential.
Do not travel on slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.Extra caution needed around cornices with current conditions.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 11th, 2015 8:00AM
