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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 5th, 2024–Apr 6th, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Glacier.

Low hazard does not mean no hazard.

Winter snow may still be encountered in the high alpine, travel accordingly.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

There were a few small avalanches in extreme terrain in the highway corridor on Friday.

Last Sunday, 2 people had a close call on Ursus Minor, narrowly being missed by a sz 2 which then launched over the cliffs below.

Also on Sunday, a skier was taken for a ride on Youngs Peak, and another triggered a large cornice along the ridge line.

Another close call with a cornice occurred along the ridgeline of Cheops on Sat.

Snowpack Summary

Below treeline, you will find a well settled spring snowpack, with a strong surface crust that may break down during the heat of the day.

At Treeline we have a record low snow depth of ~210cm. With 5cm of new snow on a variable crust on all but high northerly aspects, which may still hold dry snow.

A melt-freeze crust, buried on March 26th, is down 30-40cm and extends into the alpine on solar aspects.

The Feb 3rd crust/facet layer persists at upper elevations, buried 80-140cm down.

Weather Summary

Cool, stable weather is the trend as we head in to the weekend.

Tonight: Clear periods. Alpine Low -4 °C. Freezing level (FZL) 1500m. Light ridgetop wind.

Saturday: Mainly cloudy, isolated flurries. Alpine High -2 °C. FZL 1900m. Light W ridge wind.

Sunday: Sunny periods/isolated flurries. Low -7 °C, High -6 °C. FZL 1800m. Light SW wind.

Monday: Cloudy with flurries. Low -9 °C, High -4 °C. FZL 1700m. Light SW wind.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.
  • Remember that the snowpack will be significantly different at higher elevations than lower down.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.