Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Stable weather is improving avalanche danger but not the ski quality! Lots of hard surfaces in exposed areas so watch your knees!
Weather Forecast
A relatively benign weather pattern over the next few days. Temps will be in the -5 to -15 range at treeline. Alpine winds will stay light, switching to the NW Monday night and increasing to strong on Thursday. Expect light precip 2-5 cm per day. Possibility of a small upslope storm bringing ~ 5cm to the eastern areas on Tuesday night.
Snowpack Summary
Extensive wind effect in exposed alpine/treeline areas. The Jan 30th surface hoar/ sun crust interface exists 20-30 cm below the surface and hasn't produced avalanches recently. Surface sun crusts on solar slopes into the alpine and a thin temperature crust all aspects below 2100m. Shallow snowpack areas remain weak and faceted.
Avalanche Summary
A skier remote avalanche was reported on Saturday at treeline in KNP.
A cornice released naturally to size 1.5 in the Sunshine backcountry. Otherwise, no new avalanches observed or reported on Monday.
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
While most exposed areas have been blown into hardpan... continue to watch for slabs in sheltered areas of the alpine and open areas right at treeline where a few reactive examples may linger in steep terrain.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Persistent Slabs
The Jan 30th layer exists 20-30cm down as surface hoar on shady aspects and sun crust on steep solar aspects. We are still seeing results in test profiles, but limited avalanche activity over the last few days.
- Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Treeline, Below Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely
Expected Size: 1 - 2