Avalanche Forecast

High

• Confidence is due to a stable weather pattern with little change expected.

Recent avalanche activity has been a mixed bag including:

• A number of cornice falls triggered large wind slabs, size 2 to 2.5, in extreme terrain in the high alpine

• Loose wet avalanches up to size 2 out of steep solar aspects at alpine and treeline elevations

• A couple of natural persistent slabs in the West Purcells on Thursday, a size 2, likely tree bomb-triggered in forested terrain, and a size 3.5 on glacial ice

A widespread melt-freeze crust extends up to 2200 m in the Esplanades in the north end of the region and 2500 m in the Battle to the south. This crust may soften on steep south-facing slopes during the day. On all but southerly aspects in the high alpine, snow is dry and wind affected. Cornices loom large.

A surface hoar layer from in early January is buried around 1 m deep. The mid-December crust is now buried around 1.5 m deep, and is present up to 2300 m. Triggering these layers is unlikely under current conditions, and would require a large load like a cornice fall.

Saturday Night
Clear skies. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Sunday
Sunny. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Monday
Sunny. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Tuesday
Mostly sunny. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
• Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
• Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for slabs before you commit to it.