Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 11th, 2016 3:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Persistent Slabs.

jeremy.mackenzie, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Great skiing out there, but watch for buried wind slabs in the Alpine. Steep and unsupported features should be approached with caution.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Monday will bring cold and clear conditions with highs near -20 Â°C and significant wind chill values. Winds will be out of the NW at 30km/h. Similar conditions will continue on Tuesday before a moderate warming trend arrives on Wednesday.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed or reported today.

Snowpack Summary

Trace to 1cm of new snow in past 24hrs with very little wind effect in the upper 20cm of surface snow. Buried wind slabs are found on all aspects in the Alpine and just down into Treeline elevations, but they are variable in nature. These slabs are 5 to 20cm thick and sit on a pronounced layer of weak facets just above the Nov 12th crust layer which is now buried between 40 and 60cm. Recent snowpack stability tests are giving widely variable results below these buried wind slabs.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Buried wind slabs are found in the Alpine and they extend just down into Treeline in some areas. There is a high degree of variability in the character, thickness and sensitivity to triggers in these wind slabs.

Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls Evaluate unsupported slopes critically.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Dec 12th, 2016 2:00PM