Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 1st, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
ahanna,
Avalanche Canada
Remember to practice good travel habits, always watch for signs of instability and assess conditions as you go.
Summary
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
In recent days, the Kokanee-Valhalla areas have seen indications of developing instability associated with the crust detailed in the snowpack summary:
On Thursday at Kokanee, a skier triggered a size 1.5 slab on the crust
On Sunday in the Valhalla area, isolated pockets released at this interface on a tracked, shallow, unsupported feature.
No other recent avalanche observations. Please consider sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).
Snowpack Summary
Variable snow surfaces exist including crusts, moist snow, faceting old wind slabs and settled powder.
The upper and mid snowpack contain a variety of crusts. The most prominent is a thick, hard, widespread crust formed in early December, now buried 40 to 60 cm deep. This crust effectively bridges an underlying layer of surface hoar. In the Valhalla-Kokanee zones, facets have been observed developing on top of the crust.
Average snowpack depths at treeline are roughly 70 to 130 cm. Snow depths taper dramatically at lower elevations.
Weather Summary
Monday night
Mostly cloudy, ridgetop wind 20 km/h, treeline temperature -6 °C.
Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud, ridgetop wind 20-30 km/h, treeline temperature -3 °C.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy, ridgetop wind <20 km/h, treeline temperature -2 °C.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud, ridgetop wind 20-30 km/h, treeline temperature -2 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
- Carefully evaluate bigger terrain features on an individual basis before committing to them.
- Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
Problems
Wind Slabs
In the west of the region, recent snow may have formed small but reactive pockets of wind slab.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 2nd, 2024 4:00PM
