Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 7th, 2017 3:09PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Wind Slabs, Deep Persistent Slabs and Cornices.

jeremy.mackenzie, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

The natural avalanche cycle continues, and human triggering is likely. Conservative route selection is in order.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Up to 5cm of snow is expected overnight. Wednesday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Ridge-top winds will be out of the west at 20-40 km/h., and Alpine temperatures will reach -14 °C. More flurries are expected on Thursday.

Avalanche Summary

A natural avalanche cycle continues with slides up to size 3.0 occurring in steep Alpine and Treeline terrain on lee and cross-loaded features. A public report on the Mountain Information Network (MIN) describes a cornice triggered size 3.0 avalanche in the Tryst Lake area with a very wide propagation on Sunday. This slide may have also sympathetically triggered additional smaller avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

Variable new snow amounts overnight with some areas getting up to 10cm. Variable wind effect in Alpine and open areas at Treeline. Cornices are large and several failures have occurred in recent days. The mid-pack remains supportive, but the basal weak layer persist.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Storm/wind slabs between 40 and 65cm thick are found in lee and cross-loaded features at Treeline and above. Natural avalanche activity associated to this problem continues, and many slopes appear primed for human-triggering.

Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.If triggered the storm/wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

An avalanche initiated in the upper snowpack could step down to a deeper weak layer.

If triggered the storm slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Be aware of the potential for wide propagations.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Cornices

Several cornice failures have occurred in the past few days which have triggered deep and large avalanches.

Minimize exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach run out zones.Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger persistent slabs.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Mar 8th, 2017 2:00PM