Coquihalla

Avalanches are possible where surface snow is more cohesive, especially in areas affected by wind or sun.

A notable skier-triggered slab avalanche was reported at Zupjok on Monday (see photo below and full report here). It occurred on a wind-loaded slope and failed on the persistent weak layer. This weak snowpack structure likely exists in specific locations.

15 cm of snow from the weekend has been redistributed by northeast winds in alpine and treeline terrain.

A weak layer from late January, buried 40 to 60 cm deep, is a hard crust in many areas but consists of facets or surface hoar on sheltered upper-elevation slopes. This layer has become reactive in snowpack tests and was the failure layer in Monday’s human-triggered avalanche.

A crust from December is buried 80 to 120 cm deep, with facets around it in shallow snowpack areas. Otherwise, the lower snowpack is strong and bonded.

Wednesday Night

Clear skies. 10 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.

Thursday

Sunny with afternoon clouds. 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Friday

Mix of sun and cloud. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with 1 to 3 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• The best and safest riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without any slab properties.
• Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
• Limit exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.