Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Jan 7 – 8, 2017Alberta Parks
View on map
Archived · expired 10 years ago

Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map

Highlights

Human triggerring of avalanches is still possible from thin snowpack locations, especially in wind affected areas.  Ice climbers watch for pockets of hard windslabs between pitches. 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    These slabs are failing down 30-50cm at the main density change. Human triggerring from a thin snowpack area is a definite possibility.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3
    Isolated natural avalanches last week stepped down to this basal interface. Thin areas will be the likely trigger points wherein you may get the persistent and the deep persistent slab to fail.

Confidence

Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Monday

Weather Forecast

Temperatures on Sunday are looking at around -7C, with light SW winds.  Trace amounts of new snow are expected.

Avalanche Summary

No new slab avalanche activity was observed but there was a few small sz 1 loose dry avalanches out of steep unskiable terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Widespread wind affect in alpine areas and into open areas at treeline and below. Natural avalanche activity has began to subside but the snowpack is still within the range of being triggerred by a skier. Our main concerns continue to be thin windslabs in alpine areas that are overlying the 1218 facets down 30-50cm. This layer is easy to locate as its marked by a major density change in the snowpack. Lower in the snowpack is the 1112 crust. Not much natural avalanche activity has been observed on this layer but it is still within our minds. Thin snowpack areas will be the places werein you may be able to trigger this weakness.

Regions covered