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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 30th, 2020–Dec 31st, 2020

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Kananaskis.

Very good skiing can be found in sheltered areas. Be alert for wind slabs as you transition into the alpine.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Thursday is expected to bring moderate westerly winds in the alpine with a high of -7c. Skies will be a mix of sun and cloud with maybe the odd flurry.

Avalanche Summary

Skied up the Commonwealth drainage today and did not see any new avalanches in the valley or on our drive.

Snowpack Summary

Generally a strong snowpack. The alpine consists of a couple of generations of wind slabs. The first being the surface wind slabs(top 10cm) that have formed in the last couple of days. The second wind slab is below the surface one which goes down about 30-40cm which was formed during the strong variable Christmas winds. Approach alpine features with wind slabs on your mind. The Dec. 7 and Dec 15 layers are about 40 to 80cm down and are still identifiable but mostly unreactive. The November 5 crust is mostly a concern for triggering in steep shallow areas where the facets overtop of the Nov. crust are much more prominent

Terrain and Travel

  • Avoid areas where the snow feels stiff and/or slabby.
  • Avoid convexities, steep unsupported terrain and rocky outcroppings.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.