Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Garibaldi, North Shore, Powell River, Sasquatch, Sky Pilot, South Coast, Stave, Tantalus, Tetrahedron.
Raise your guard as you approach wind-exposed elevations and use small slopes to assess wind slab reactivity. Softer snow in sheltered areas should yield the safest, best quality riding.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
Other than small loose snow sluffing, no new avalanches were reported Tuesday. On Monday, size 1-1.5 naturally triggered avalanches were observed in specific features. Recent avalanches have been failing on within the recent storm snow (35-50 cm deep), or deeper on buried crusts farther inland.
Reports suggest the upper snowpack is generally increasing in strength, however reactivity may persist in specific areas like steep terrain or on wind loaded features.
Snowpack Summary
In addition to new surface hoar growing in sheltered, especially shaded areas, light wind effect may be found on the surface in some terrain, creating deeper deposits around ridgelines.
Otherwise, over 100 cm of recent storm snow appears to be settling and bonding well to the widespread crust below it. Below this crust, 40 - 70 cm of previous storm snow in some areas sits on a strengthening layer of pellet-like graupel over an earlier crust.
The lower snowpack is well consolidated. While the recent snow has improved travel conditions at lower elevations, many obstacles, such as stumps and rocks lurk just below the surface.
Weather Summary
Wednesday night
Partly cloudy. 5 - 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 400 m.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud, becoming cloudy. 10 - 15 km/h northwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C with freezing level to 800 m.
Friday
Cloudy with increasing snowfall bringing 25-40 cm of new snow, continuing overnight. 50 - 60 km/h south alpine wind. Treeline temperature around -2 °C with freezing level rising to 1200 m.
Saturday
Cloudy with continuing heavy snowfall bringing 30-40 cm of new snow and 2-day totals to 80-110 cm. 70 - 80 km/h southwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -3°C with freezing level around 1300 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
- Be carefull with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Recent storm snow may still react as a slab in wind affected features at higher elevations. Watch for deeper and more reactive slabs near ridgelines.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Loose Dry
Loose snow avalanches are still possible in steep, shaded terrain. Manage your sluff and always have an exit plan.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5