Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, South Coast Inland, Stein, Taseko.
The sensitive persistent weak layer remains our main concern at treeline and above.
Rider-triggered avalanches are likely, and avalanches can be destructive.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche was reported. Tuesday, solar input triggered numerous large avalanches (size 2 to 2.5) on southerly slopes. Small wind slabs (size 1) were also reactive to skiers on cross-loaded features at treeline.
This past weekend, several remote-triggered, sympathetic releases and numerous step-down avalanches occurred throughout the region.
Snowpack Summary
The region received 50 to 60 cm since the last storm but settled quickly. A sun thin crust is visible up to 2000 m on southerly slopes, while extensive strong southerly winds have redistributed recent snow and scoured exposed areas at treeline and alpine.
The storm snow covers weak surfaces, including surface hoar or facets in sheltered, shaded areas, and sun crusts on sun-affected slopes. This layer has caused several large remote triggers since Sunday.
A hard crust from late January lies 40 to 80 cm deep beneath weak facets and isolated surface hoar, with recent avalanches failing on it, especially near Whistler.
The snowpack below is strong.
Weather Summary
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4°C. Freezing level around 1400 m.
Thursday
Cloudy with 2 to 5 cm of snow. 40 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2°C. Freezing level reaching 2000 m.
Friday
Mostly sunny. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +3°C. Freezing level around 2200 m.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4°C. Freezing level reaching 2500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
- Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
- Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.
- Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
Mild temperature and wind have been working to consolidate reactive slabs over the mid-February weak layer and the late January crust below it. Wind-loaded areas at higher elevations are the most likely places to trigger this problem.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs remain sensitive to rider triggers. Small wind slab releases may step down to weak layers in the upper snowpack to produce larger, more destructive avalanches.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5