Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 4th, 2017 3:48PM

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

jeremy.mackenzie, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Avalanche hazard is slowly improving, but slabs remain sensitive to human triggering. Cautious terrain selection is still in order.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Thursday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Temperatures will be near -15 °C with light westerly winds. No precipitation is expected for the rest of the week.

Avalanche Summary

In the past 36hrs there have been a few naturally triggered slab avalanches have been observed in Alpine and Treeline terrain on S and SE aspects up to size 2.0. Some of these slabs have stepped down to the Dec 18th layer or the Nov crust layer.

Snowpack Summary

Little change over the past 24hrs. Widespread wind slabs up to 10cm thick in Alpine areas from normal and reverse wind loading. Evidence of recent natural avalanche cycle stepping down to Dec 18th interface and the Nov crust layer in some areas (such as Highwood Pass). Cold temps continue to draw out what little strength is left of the low elevation snowpack.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

This persistent slab is dense and is sitting on top of a 10cm weak facet layer(Dec 18th). If this layer fails, it has the potential to entrain large amounts of snow and/or trigger the deeper November crust.

Choose well supported terrain without convexities.If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Triggering is more likely in shallow snowpack areas and rocky features. The Nov crust is buried 60 to 90cm at Treeline elevations.

Use conservative route selection, choose moderate angled and supported terrain with low consequence.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Wind Slabs

Mostly 10cm thick slabs in open areas at all elevations.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 5th, 2017 2:00PM