Avalanche Forecast

Sunday and Monday saw a natural avalanche cycle with avalanches on all aspects and elevations to size 3.

A fatal avalanche incident involving one snowmobiler occurred in the Hasler riding area on Saturday. The avalanche was triggered in a wind-loaded east-facing chute feature at treeline and ran approximately 250 m. It likely failed on a layer of facets buried earlier in January. For more details on this incident, see the Fatal Avalanche Incident report.

High freezing levels and rain have moistened the surface snow to 2500 m and wet, rain saturdated snow exists up to 2200 m.

A weak layer of facets exist down 30 to 60 cm and a prominent crust down 40 to 100 cm. The crust is reported to extend up to 1900 m in the Cariboos and up to 1600 m around Pine Pass. The stress of the new load (warm, wet upper snowpack) has produced large avalanches possibly failing on these layers.

In areas east of the Divide the snowpack is shallow and faceted with depths of 60 to 100 cm around treeline.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, alpine temperatures near -3°C, south alpine wind 15 gusting to 40 km/h, freezing level around 1900 m.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy with light rain/snow expected, southwest alpine wind 10 to 20 km/h, freezing level around 2000 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with light rain/snow, alpine temperatures near 1°C, southeast alpine wind 20 km/h, freezing level rising to 1700 m.

Friday

Mostly cloudy, isolated flurries, alpine temperatures -2°C, southeast alpine wind 10 to 25 km/h, freezing level rising to 1300 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
• A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
• Be aware of the potential for surprisingly large avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.