Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Wind effect is extremely variable

TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear. Alpine temperatures near -4C. Ridgetop winds 15-25 km/h from the east-northeast.WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. Alpine temperatures near -3C, freezing level rising to 800 m. Ridgetop winds 25-35 km/h from the east.THURSDAY: Sunny with cloudy periods. Alpine temperature near -5C, freezing level around 700 m. Ridgetop winds 15-25 km/h from the northeast.FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, trace to 5 cm. Alpine high temperatures near -8C. Ridgetop winds 20-25 km/h from the east-southeast.

A reactive slab has been reported in the mountains around Shames over the past few days. On Monday, a group of skiers remotely triggered a size 2.5 wind slab avalanche from 300 m away. The avalanche failed on a west aspect around 1600 m with a 50 cm crown. On Sunday, several small (size 1) avalanches were triggered by skiers descending in adjacent terrain on west to south alpine features. Similarly, a touchy and reactive snowpack was reported on the MIN around the Shames backcountry on Sunday documenting skier-triggered wind slab avalanches size 1-1.5 on south-southeast aspects (See one report here).On Saturday, while traversing a bench feature skiers north of Terrace remotely triggered 3 small (size 1) storm slab avalanches in steep terrain. A helicopter also remotely triggered a larger size 2 storm slab avalanche. The Saturday avalanches occurred in similar steep terrain on west to north aspects around 1300 m and failed 30-50 cm deep on the recently buried surface hoar layer.

Strong outflow winds redistributed last weekend's snow, reshaping alpine and exposed treeline snow surfaces, and building variable wind slabs. Recent cold temperatures have encouraged surface hoar growth and surface faceting in sheltered terrain.In most areas, the 20-50 cm recent snow collectively overlies hard, previously wind affected surfaces or crust on solar aspects. In selective sheltered areas, low density snow overlies facets and/or spotty surface hoar. As strong winds reach less exposed areas, more cohesive slabs have formed over this weak layer at lower elevations.In the south of the region, the remainder of the snowpack is well-settled. Around Bear Pass and in the north of the region, you may find two weak layers of surface hoar buried between 50 and 100 cm. The base of the snowpack may also be composed of weak and sugary faceted snow.