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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 22nd, 2021–Apr 23rd, 2021

Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Glacier.

Cooling temps and minimal solar input will reduce the avalanche hazard for the next couple of days.

Fresh bear tracks have been spotted on several popular touring routes; make your presence know when traveling in the forest, and pack your bear spray.

Weather Forecast

The edge of a weak cold front from the NE will give isolated flurries and cooling temps. A stronger, wetter system rolls in from the SW Sat/Sun.

Today: Mix of sun and cloud. Freezing level (FZL) 1600m. Ridge winds light NE.

Tonight: Clear periods. Alpine high -6 C.

Fri: Sunny periods. FZL 1700m. Light SW wind.

Sat/Sun: Snow (15-20cm). FZL 1800m.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack has undergone numerous melt-freeze cycles on all but high (>2400m) N aspects, where one can find loose, dry snow. Daily fluctuation in the upper snowpack will be reduced over the next couple of days with cool temps and some cloud cover in the forecast. Several crusts exist in the upper snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

A couple of wet slab avalanches were observed from S aspects in the highway corridor yesterday.

Also, a large (size 3) glide slab released from an E aspect in Cougar creek yesterday.

A natural size 3 slab was triggered by a cornice failure at the top of the Ross Pk path Tuesday.

Confidence

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.