Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Badshot-Battle, Goat, Kokanee, Retallack.
Large human triggered avalanches are possible.
Evidence of a persistent weak layer may be hard to find. Avoiding steep, shallow terrain is the best way to avoid this avalanche problem.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
On Wednesday and Thursday, several small (up to size 1.5) natural and human triggered wind slab and dry loose avalanches were reported.
No avalanches have been reported on the early December persistent weak layer since January 6, northwest of Kaslo.
Snowpack Summary
Expect to find 25 to 40 cm of soft snow on the surface in sheltered areas, and wind slabs building below wind exposed alpine and treeline ridges.
Below the recent snow, there are potentially a couple different layers of large (up to 25 mm), feathery surface hoar crystals 15-35 cm deep. They may be resting on a crust on slopes that face the sun.
A widespread surface hoar/facet/crust layer is buried 70 to 120 cm. This layer is trending to unreactive in much of the region, but it's not fully healed. It was most recently active south of Trout Lake and east of Slocan Lake on north through east-facing slopes between 1700 and 2300 m.
At treeline, snow depths range from 135 to 200 cm.
Weather Summary
Friday Night
Cloudy with 3 to 8 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Saturday
Cloudy with up to 4 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with light flurries. 20 to 30 km/h northwest wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Monday
Mostly sunny. 20 to 30 km/h northwest wind. Possible temperature inversion above 1700 m. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
- Carefully evaluate big and steep terrain features before committing to them.
- Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried surface hoar.
- Pay attention to isolated wind affected features in the alpine, as well as cross-loaded features at treeline.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
The early December weak layer is showing signs of strengthening, but it's not fully bonded. It's most likely to be a problem south of Trout Lake and East of Slocan Lake. The most concerning elevations and aspects vary across the region.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3.5
Wind Slabs
A shift from southwest to northwest wind means that wind loading will be happening on different slopes versus Wednesday and Thursday.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2