Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 23rd, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Dry.
Marcus Waring,
Small pockets of good skiing can still be found in sheltered terrain at tree line.
Be on the lookout for reverse loading from Northerly wind.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Thursday: Sunny with cloudy periods. No precipitation. Alpine high -10. NW wind 10-25km/h. Freezing level valley bottom.
Friday: Mix of sun and cloud. No Precipitation. Alpine high - 10. NW- Wind West 10km/h. Freezing level valley bottom.
Saturday: A mix of sun and cloud. No precipitation. Alpine high - 10. Southwest wind 10km/h.
Snowpack Summary
10-15 cm of recent snow has been redistributed by recent Northerly winds causing reverse loading in many locations with wind slab development in Alpine and exposed terrain at tree line. A weak temperature crust can be found up to 1900m on all aspects with a sun crust on solar aspects up to 2800m. Basal facets & depth hoar present at throughout area
Avalanche Summary
A few Natural size 1 dry loose avalanches have been observed on the Icefields Parkway over the past 2 days. All occurred in steep terrain with unsupported features.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs sit over a variety of surfaces including old wind slabs, temperature crust and sun crust making reactivity variable. Be extra cautious in areas where wind slabs sits over a hard layer.
- Watch hollow sounds on unsupported windslabs.
- Be careful with reverse loaded pockets of wind slab at ridgeline.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Dry
This problem is specific to steep, wind protected terrain. Expect more dry loose activity in areas where recent snowfall sits over a hard surface.
- Avoid ice climbs exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects during the middle of the day.
- Be careful of loose dry sluffing in steep, confined or exposed terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 24th, 2022 4:00PM
