Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 23rd, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Persistent Slabs.
jsmith,
Avalanche Canada
Conditions may be improving, but be mindful of the recent reports of large persistent slab avalanches.
Avoid steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin-to-thick snowpack.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
A helicopter landing on a slope remotely triggered several size 2 persistent slab avalanches on a north aspect in the alpine south of Golden on Friday. The avalanches failed on the crust which was down 80 to 110 cm in that location.
A second heli remote triggered size 2 persistent slab avalanche was reported at another operation on a north facing slope at treeline. The crust was down around 60 cm in that location.
Snowpack Summary
0 to 10 cm of recent snow overlies predominantly crusty surfaces.
A widespread crust with sugary facets above is down 40 to 110 cm. Steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack at treeline and above are the most likely places to trigger this layer. However, when a thick surface crust is present, human triggering this layer is unlikely.
The bottom of the snowpack is generally weak and faceted, with the potential to produce very large avalanches. The most likely areas to trigger this deeply buried weak layer are steep, rocky areas in the alpine with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack.
Weather Summary
Saturday night
Cloudy with isolated flurries, 0 to 5 cm. 10 to 20 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
Monday
Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for additional weather information.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
- When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
- Conditions may have improved, but be mindful that deep instabilities are still present.
- Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
A crust with weak facets above is down 40 to 110 cm. Steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack at treeline and above are the most likely places to trigger this layer.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 24th, 2024 4:00PM
