Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 25th, 2017 3:21PM

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

Alberta Parks mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

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Kananaskis.

The danger is at moderate currently, but forecasters are still approaching Alpine and treeline terrain as if its at considerable.  We are unwilling to commit to bigger terrain. 

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Cloudy with sunny periods.Precipitation: Nil.Alpine temperature: High -6 °C.Ridge wind northwest: 25 km/h.Freezing level: 1300 metres.

Avalanche Summary

No new natural avalanche activity

Snowpack Summary

Below treeline travel is fairly grim.  Expect ski penetrations to ground in many areas and the best solution to getting up to the skiing is via an old established up-track.  At treeline and above the upper snowpack has 30-40cm of settled snow that is overlying the weak basal facets.  Moderate compression tests that are sudden collapse in nature are being observed at this interface.  Thin weak spots are the most likely areas where a skier could cause a failure.  As a result choose supported terrain, and avoid thin areas.  The only skiing to be found is at treeline and above.  If you are looking for turns below treeline, look elsewhere!

Problems

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
If this layers if triggered, there is a likelihood of entraining the entire snowpack with it
Avoid unsupported slopes.Avoid cross loaded features.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Deep Persistent Slabs
The big concern is that if anything gets triggered within the snowpack, then the entire snowpack would fail on the basal facets.
Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Jan 26th, 2017 2:00PM

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