Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 1st, 2012 4:00PM

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

chris gooliaff, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Not much has changed in the last 24 hours; light winds, a skiff of snow. This will change come the weekend. We may get up to 20cm of snow accompanied by west winds. This should wake up the nasty Valentine layer and we expect a natural cycle Saturday.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Snowpack Summary

Avalanche Summary

Confidence

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Snow depths over the Valentines surface hoar and suncrust on steep solar aspects range from 20cm E of the Divide, to 45+cm at Sunshine and Yoho. Yesterday a large slide off the top of Fairview failed across the entire bowl on this layer. Impressive!

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Wind Slabs

Moderate winds this week have also created thin, but stiffer wind slab conditions 25-35 cm deep on ridgetop lee terrain. These have been seen to step down to the Valentine layer.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

Recent trips east of the Divide have found a shallow, weak snowpack. Tests done showed sudden collapse results on the basal facets. It is still possible to trigger the entire slope from shallow, thinly covered areas.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 2nd, 2012 4:00PM