Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Badshot-Battle, Blue River, Central Selkirk, Clemina, Goat, Gold, Grohman, Jordan, Kokanee, North Columbia, North Monashee, North Okanagan, North Selkirk, Premier, Retallack, Shuswap, South Columbia, Valhalla, West Purcell, Whatshan.
Continue to make conservative terrain choices and consider the consequences of a chosen slope avalanching. There is variability in the snowpack throughout the region but what is consistent is that the snowpack is shallower and weaker than average.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
We continue to recieve reports of Friday's natural cycle. Avalanches ran on all aspects and elevations. Most of the activity was on the 2 Surface hoar layers from January but there was also activity on the November facets near the bottom of the snowpack. Avalanches ranged in size from 1.5 to 3.5.
In addition to the natural avalanches there was also several skier remotes, accidentals and ski cuts. These avalanches were generally up to size 2 and were triggered on one of the 2 surface hoar layers buried in January.
Snowpack Summary
A recent layer of surface hoar and a crust on south facing slopes can be found under 20 to 60cm of new dense storm snow at treeline and above. Wind slabs exist on North, west and east facing terrain at treeline and above. As the freezing level falls a new crust will form below 1800m.
There are 4 additional weak layers in the snowpack. The most reactive in recent days have been the layer mentioned above and another surface hoar layer from early January. The bottom of the snowpack is made up of large facets buried in late November, This layer remains a concern. In General this years snowpack is complicated, weak and shallow. Keep this in mind as you move through the mountains.
Weather Summary
Sunday Night
Cloudy with flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light southerly winds and a Low of -4 at 1800m.
Monday
Cloudy with flurries bringing up to 5cm of new snow. Light southerly winds and freezing levels rising to 1500m.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light southwest winds and a high of -4 at 1800m.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy withlight flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light southwest winds and a high of -4 at 1800m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.
- Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.
- Uncertainty is best managed through conservative terrain choices at this time.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Rider triggerable wind slab exists on west, north and east aspects at treeline and above.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5
Persistent Slabs
As many as 5 concerning weak layers can be found in the top 1.5m of the snow pack. Recently the most reactive layers have been a layer of surface hoar buried on January 12th and a layer of surface hoar and a crust buried at the start of the month.
This is a complicated and weak snowpack. Several of these layers are at a prime depth for human triggering. Keep this in mind when deciding what slopes to ride and always consider the consequences if the slope does avalanche.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5
Deep Persistent Slabs
A layer of large and weak facets sits near the base of the snowpack. This layer has most recently been problematic in lower alpine elevations.
Avoid thin and rocky start zones where weak layers sit closer to the surface, riders are most likely to trigger an avalanche on this layer in terrain with shallow or variable snow depths or by first triggering a layer further up in the snowpack.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3.5