Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Little Yoho.
Expect the hazard to rise towards HIGH as skies clear and temperatures rise on Thursday. There may be an opportunity for some corn skiing if timed right. Plan to finish early over the next few days.
Weather Forecast
Skies will clear through Thursday as another warm ridge of high pressure arrives and temperatures will skyrocket for Thursday afternoon and Friday. The hazard will again rise towards HIGH with heating and as crusts break down.
Snowpack Summary
A skiff of new snow on top of surface crusts that remained intact today except at valley bottom elevations. The morning snowpack is strong when frozen, but this can rapidly break down with warming. In many places the snowpack is sitting on a deep persistent layer of facets that has been avalanching with solar heating over the previous week.
Avalanche Summary
Another day of cool weather. Tuesday's trip through Surprise Pass showed a snowpack locked up from the cold temperatures. Sunshine reports isolated wind slabs in the immediate NW lees of ridgelines 20-50 cm thick. They were less reactive today, but may be more touchy in the warmer days to come. Similar conditions may exist on the Wapta.
Confidence
Avalanche Problems
Loose Wet
Freezing levels may spike to 3300 m Thursday afternoon with clearing skis. Avoid steep slopes or gullies as the day heats up and the crust on top of the snowpack melts. Plan to finish early over the next few days.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Persistent Slabs
There are several buried sun crusts exist in the upper snowpack and it remains possible to trigger these layers once the surface crusts break down during any prolonged heating from the sun.
- Travel early before the heat of the day, and avoid big slopes in the afternoon.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 2 - 3
Cornices
Cornices are large. Give them a wide berth on ridge crests, as they can pull back a long way when they fail and may trigger an avalanche below. If you need to travel under cornices, move quickly but think twice if there is significant heating.
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating, so travel early on exposed slopes.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3