Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Jasper, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.
Recent skier remote avalanches are a good reminder that avalanches are still possible. Watch for the wind to pick-up from the south on Wednesday.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
A group of 7 skiers on Sunday at Icefield's Boundary peak area remote triggered a size 2 slab from 100m away. The avalanche occurred in a thin rocky spot, alpine, N aspect, 2250m elevation, 35 degree slope, and slid on the Feb 3rd layer. The group triggered it from the bench above.
Likewise groups have been remote triggering avalanches around the Lake Louise zone up to size 3. These have been failing on the the Feb 3rd layer.
Snowpack Summary
A thin sun crust is present on steep solar slopes at all elevations. Elsewhere has about 10cm of soft snow on top of a 2-10cm melt freeze crust. The Feb 3rd crust interface is down 30-90cm. Basal depth hoar and facets make up the bottom of the snowpack. HS ranges from 50 to 150cm.
Weather Summary
Mountain Weather Forecast is available @ Avalanche Canada https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast
Wednesday
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.
Precipitation: Trace.
Alpine temperature: High -4 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 15-35 km/h.
Freezing level: 1700m
Thursday
Flurries.
Accumulation: 8 cm.
Alpine temperature: Low -8 °C, High -4 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 10-25 km/h.
Freezing level: 1700m
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Even a small avalanche can be harmful if it pushes you into an obstacle or a terrain trap.
- Avoid steep slopes when air temperatures are warm, or solar radiation is strong.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
Thick to thin snowpack zones and areas where buried crusts are not supportive are the potential trigger locations. Crusts are generally down 30-90 cm with a layer of weak facets above.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1.5 - 3.5
Deep Persistent Slabs
Weak basal depth hoar makes up the bottom of the snowpack. This is a low probability but high consequence problem. Stay away from weak, rocky, shallow location where triggering this layer is more likely.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 4
Wind Slabs
Winds are forecasted to increase from the south on Wednesday.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2