Avalanche forecast

Waterton Lakes

Jan 30 – Feb 2, 2015Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 12 years ago

Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Although the current crusts can allow access some novel locations, be cautious about hunting for soft snow in the shaded high terrain as human triggering remains possible. Bring your ski crampons, ice axe and crampons for secure travel on the crusts.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    10 to 30cm thick over an interface of weak, faceted snow, these old slabs linger and may still be triggered by skiers looking for dry snow in the high shaded alpine terrain.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Now 40 to 120cm deep these slabs continue to stand out as a real concern. Be particularly mindful in thin snowpack areas where this layer is more likely to be triggered.

Weather Forecast

Temperatures should remain below freezing at Little Prairie through Fri although there may be some solar heating. Moist Pacific air will start to affect the area as it approaches Sat with trace amounts of snow possible and maybe up to 15cm through Tuesday if the arctic air approaching over the prairies traps the moist air over the divide.

Snowpack Summary

A 5 to 15cm thick crust exists on solar aspects to ridgetop. On shaded aspects a 1cm temperature crust is found at 2200m and the snow remained dry at 2500m. Concern for both thin windslabs and the Dec facets and crust layer remains TL and above on shaded aspects with technicians finding sudden shears down 40 to 80cm on the Dec layer.

Avalanche Summary

Now that temperatures have cooled down natural avalanche activity has diminished however skier triggering remains a concern in specific areas : Treeline and above on shaded slopes.

Confidence

Regions covered