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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Dec 17th, 2023–Dec 18th, 2023
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Although the danger rating has dropped to M/M/L, the thin, generally weak and shallow snowpack is not to be trusted. Supported and low angle terrain are still your best bet for linking a couple turns here and there.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A road patrol today showed no new avalanches in the Spray area.

Snowpack Summary

Although there are windslabs out there, with no new snow and fetches being stripped dry, they have built as much as they can and are losing sensitivity at this point. Up to treeline, expect to encounter a rain crust down 20-30cm that formed in an early December storm. So far failures on this crust have been few, but as it develops we expect this layer to become a common bed surface for avalanches. A surface hoar layer is also found up to treeline beneath this crust that was producing moderate results in snowpack tests. Deeper in the snowpack a weak basal layer persists that was a thin melt freeze crust in some areas, or just weak basal facets and depth hoar. Thin areas are still common places to trigger these windslabs which are likely to propagate across a feature so keep this in mind as you travel.

Weather Summary

Sunday night will cool to -7 and winds will be steady out of the West at 35km/h.

Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. No snow to speak of and freezing levels to rise to 2000m (Spray road elevation is 1800m)

Winds will continue to from the SW at 25km/h

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Approach lee and cross-loaded slopes with caution.
  • Avoid rock outcroppings, convexities, and anywhere the snowpack is thin and/or variable.
  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs/ old windslabs are present in almost all lee and cross-loaded features. Human triggering is still a concern.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

Be mindful of the weak layers towards the base of the snowpack. Thin rocky areas may propagate out to thicker areas.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1.5 - 3