Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 19th, 2024 4:00PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.

Avalanche Canada TJ, Avalanche Canada

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Recent large avalanches along the Icefields Parkway are a reminder that if there is enough snow to ride there is enough snow to slide. Dig down and test the reactivity of the snowpack before you commit to a line or feature.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several deep persistent slabs and persistent slab avalanches up to size 2.5 have been observed in the alpine over the last few days.

Loose dry avalanches up to size 2 in very steep rocky alpine terrain were noted over the past few days. Some are scrubbing to ground.

Snowpack Summary

There is variable wind effect from previous northerly winds. Down 25cm is a weak layer that is producing results in snow pit tests. Tree line snowpack depth is an average of 45-75cm. The snowpack is weak and largely unsupportive.

Weather Summary

Saturday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: High -2 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h.

Freezing level: 1800 meters.

The Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada https://www.avalanche.ca/weather/forecast

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Variable winds means there could be wind slabs on all aspects. Ridge top winds are forecast to increase to moderate though Saturday.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

The recent avalanche along the Icefields Parkway have been on north to east aspects down 30cm on a suspected Jan 4th surface hoar or facet layer. This layer is only a concern if there is enough of a supportive slab above it.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Deep Persistent Slabs

You must keep this basal layer on your radar as triggering is possible in isolated features, such as steep rocky terrain where you find yourself standing on the surface and not wallowing in facets, that's the problem slab.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Jan 20th, 2024 4:00PM

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