Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 17th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs and Loose Dry.
Jonas Hoke,
Storm slabs may remain reactive to human triggering where they sit over a suncrust or surface hoar. Assess the snowpack carefully before stepping out onto open slopes.
Summary
Weather Forecast
A brief break Friday gives way to another pulse of snow for the weekend.
Tonight: Mainly cloudy, Alpine low -6*C, moderate SW ridgetop wind
Fri: Isolated flurries, high -5*C, Freezing level (FZL) 1500m, light SW wind
Sat: Flurries (10cm), low -8*C, high -3*C, FZL 1700m, mod SW wind
Sun: Clear periods, low -13*C, High -6*C, FZL 1200m
Snowpack Summary
Storm snow has been piling up (45-70cm of settled snow since Mar 11th). Solar aspects treeline and below have a series of suncrusts below the storm snow (the most recent - Mar 11th - remains reactive). On shaded aspects several layers of small surface hoar may be found in the upper-mid snowpack; March 7 (down ~70cm); Feb 26 (90cm); and Feb 15 (>1m)
Avalanche Summary
On Thursday, a group at the top of Rogers run triggered a size 2 slab avalanche (Mar 11th Suncrust) that nearly hit a group below.
On Wednesday; there was natural acitivity up to size 3; several size 2-3 artillery controlled avalanches; and a field team triggered a size 1.0 slab on a S slope that failed on the Mar 11th suncrust.
Confidence
Problems
Storm Slabs
Mild temps, steady flurries, and mod SW winds have formed storm slabs at all elevations.
These have been most reactive on South facing convex rolls, ridge crests, and open cross-loaded slopes where there is a suncrust below the recent snow.
- The new snow will require several days to settle and stabilize.
- Evaluate terrain features by digging and testing on adjacent, safe slopes.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Dry
In steep sheltered terrain, human-triggered sluffs are running within the storm snow, gathering mass as they accelerate down slope.
If the sun comes out for an extended period, it may act as a trigger for loose snow avalanches.
- On steep slopes, pull over periodically or cut into a new line to manage sluffing.
- Avoid terrain traps, such as gullies, where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 18th, 2022 4:00PM
