Avalanche Forecast

There were a few reports of riders triggering wind slab avalanches on Sunday. They were mostly small (size 1) and 20 to 30 cm deep, and they occurred on various aspects at alpine to treeline elevations.

Looking forward, it remains possible that riders could trigger similar avalanches to these.

Surface hoar growth continues on north-facing and shaded slopes, with conditions on south-facing or sun-exposed slopes varying from crusty to moist, depending on the time of day.

The upper snowpack is largely low-density and faceted with variable old wind-affect in exposed terrain.

Multiple layers of surface hoar, buried throughout January exist, approximately 20 to 50 cm deep. These layers have begun to show signs of reactivity, particularly in areas where a cohesive slab has formed above.

The mid and lower snowpack remains generally well-settled and strong, with no current concerns or significant instability noted.

Monday Night

Clear skies. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Temperature inversion with treeline temperature -6 °C and a chance of above-freezing alpine temperatures.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Temperature inversion with treeline temperature -4 °C and a chance of above-freezing alpine temperatures.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

Thursday

Cloud building with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
• The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.
• Avoid areas where the snow feels stiff and/or slabby.
• Limit exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.