Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Glacier.
Get up and complete your mission early before the heat of the day destabilizes the snowpack.
The sun keeps getting stronger as we creep towards summer. It can rapidly turn a solid crust into moist mush in less than an hour!
High elevation, N-facing slopes hold dry snow and a "sneaky" surface hoar problem. Watch for slabs up there.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
No natural avalanches have been observed on the highway corridor over the past 3 days.
Neighboring operations are reporting small wet loose avalanches on solar facing terrain and natural cornice falls.
On Apr 14, a party observed several sz 2 wet/loose avalanches from steep, S-facing terrain on Mt Green.
On Apr 11, a skier triggered sz 2 wind slab on the Dome glacier at 2450 m, NE asp.
Also on Apr 11, a wide-propagating, rider triggered sz 2.5 on Bruins Glacier.
Snowpack Summary
Daily melt/freeze cycles are affecting the surface of the snowpack on solar slopes and all aspects BTL, with several crusts of variable strength in the upper snowpack. High alpine, north facing slopes still hold dry snow. A spotty buried surface hoar layer exists down 15-40cm in sheltered north alpine areas above ~2300m. This layer has been reactive to human triggering in the past week.
Below treeline, conditions are variable and challenging travel exists.
Weather Summary
A building ridge brings dry, clear weather until Saturday when an upper level trough ushers in flurries/showers.
Tonight Clear. Alp low -7°C. Ridge wind N 25 km/h. Freezing Level (FZL) 800m
Thurs Sun & cloud. Alp high -2°C. Ridge wind N 15-35km/h. FZL 2000m
Fri Sun & cloud. Alp high 1°C. Ridge wind W 15km/h. FZL 2300m
Sat Cloudy/flurries. Alp high 0°C. Ridge wind SW 15km/h. FZL 2100m
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
- A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
- Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Strong winds late last week formed wind slabs on lee slopes in the alpine. This layer is sitting on a crust and it's able to pick up mass in steep terrain. On high alpine North facing slopes, this wind slab sits on a layer of surface hoar and is producing skier triggered size 2-2.5 avalanches.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Loose Wet
Intense spring sun will weaken the upper snowpack, especially on steep solar slopes. Rider triggering is also possible. Use caution in steep terrain and around terrain traps.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Cornices
Large cornices are present on lee ridge top features throughout the park. These large, heavy masses of snow will weaken with warming and direct solar radiation. Pay attention to this large overhead hazard and plan your travel accordingly.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5