Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 12th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
TRettie,
Avalanche Canada
Continue to assess the wind slab hazard as you move through terrain.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the complexity of the snowpack’s structure.
Weather Forecast
Saturday night: light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light southerst winds and a low of -5 at 1800m.
Sunday: cloudy with light flurries bringing trace amounts of snow . Freezing level rising to 1500m. Light southwest winds.
Monday: light flurries bringing up to 5cm of snow to higher elevations. Light to moderate southwest winds and freezing levels rising to 1900m.
Tuesday: cloudy with flurries bringing up to 5cm of snow to higher elevations. Light to moderate southwest winds and freezing levels rising to 2000m.
Avalanche Summary
ON Friday ski cutting produced several slab avalanches up to size 2. These avalanches were wind loaded features on northerly aspects and all failed on persistent weak layers from February.
No notable avalanches were reported on Thursday in the region.
On Wednesday one skier triggered size 1 wind slab avalanche was reported. This avalanche was triggered on a south facing slope at treeline.
Snowpack Summary
Wind slab could be found on all aspects at treeline and above in exposed terrain. This sits over a sun crust on east through west aspects from earlier this month. Moist snow could be observed below treeline.
The late February layer is down 30 to 50cm . This layer consists of a crust on solar aspects and all aspects at lower elevations. This layer presents as facets on northerly terrain and surface hoar in sheltered treeline features.
A layer of surface hoar from late January has not produced recent avalanche activity but it can still be identified 40-50 cm deep near Golden.
Terrain and Travel
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slab could exist on all aspects in exposed treeline and above. Sensitivity to triggering is greatest where wind slab has formed over a crust.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
The late February crust/facet/surface hoar layer is down 30cm in many parts of the region. It is a developing problem and could become more reactive with warming temperatures. Several weak layers from February and January still exist in the upper and mid pack.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 13th, 2022 4:00PM
