Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Climbers looking to scratch up barely formed water ice should have better luck this week with the temperatures. Just be careful in terrain where a small slide can have big consequences. SH
Weather Forecast
Light gusting moderate W-NW winds for the next few days and alpine temperatures in the -10 to -12C range. Only trace amounts of snow in the forecast until Saturday.
Snowpack Summary
A first winter storm dropped 20cm below treeline and likely up to 40cm in the high alpine. Below treeline and treeline elevations are well below threshold depths for avalanches. At alpine elevations, much more snow has accumulated in gullies where spindrift has been filling them in.
Avalanche Summary
The only slides seen and reported over the past week were spindrift avalanches limited to gully features, as well as steep slopes and benches below cliffs. Only a few small slab avalanches to size 1.5 have been noted in similar features, but could be of concern while on steep debris cones at the base of gullies.
Problems
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.