Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 30th, 2019 8:01AM

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

ross campbell, Parks Canada

Glacier.

Moderate= Human triggered avalanches possible!

Summary

Weather Forecast

Mainly cloudy today with a chance of flurries, the alpine may reach -6, and the wind will be light out of the SW. Tomorrow: 7cm of new snow through out the day, FL rising to 1300m, and light winds from the SW. Friday: 30cm+ of new snow, freezing level hovering at 1300m, and winds picking up to moderate values, gusting to strong from the SW.

Snowpack Summary

Extreme winds over the weekend created wind slabs on specific terrain features in the alpine and treeline. Soft slabs exist at treeline and below as the January 17th surface hoar has been incrementally buried. This layer is now buried 25-45cm, it is most reactive between 1400-1900m, and where it overlies a crust on steep solar aspects.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity obs in the HWY corridor yesterday. Numerous groups were out in the Backcountry/Alpine skiing all aspects and many of the classic steep lines with no reactivity. The one anomaly to the day was a skier accidental size 2.5, on a steep, rocky, unsupported, South facing slope. 2 involved, 1 partial and 1 full burial, see MIN.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Strong to Extreme Southerly over the weekend created variable wind slabs on specific terrain features in the Alpine and at Tree Line. It's most problematic on South aspects in shallow snowpack areas that are steep, rocky, and unsupported.

Use caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.Watch for shooting cracks or stiffer feeling snow. Avoid areas that appear wind loaded.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Persistent Slabs

The Jan 17th Surface Hoar layer is now down 30-50cm. This layer exists on all aspects, and is most problematic between 1400-1900m on steep solar aspects where it overlies a crust.

Convex features and steep unsupported slopes will be most prone to triggering.Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Treeline, Below Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 31st, 2019 8:00AM