Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Dec 28 – 29, 2017Alberta Parks
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Ice climbers be aware of the potential for loose dry sluffing on routes.  Also, dont forget windslabs as you transition into the Alpine from treeline areas.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Wind slabs are present in the Alpine on all aspects, and in isolated spots at Treeline. Steep and unsupported terrain are areas where triggering is more likely.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Occurring in steeper terrain but running into skiable lines.  Ice climbers should be aware of this problem.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Well the cold temperatures will likely continue moving into the weekend. We may see a slight temperature inversion on Friday with alpine temperatures around -17C.  Winds are forecast to continue out of the NW in the moderate range with a a few more CM of snow forecast to fall overnight and an additional 5cm by Friday evening. 

Avalanche Summary

A few loose dry avalanches up to size 1.5 in steep terrain on all aspects on all elevation bands. .

Snowpack Summary

Sorry to sound like a broken record but... the snowpack continues to facet with the persistently cold temperatures. Wind slabs are found in Alpine areas on all aspects, and in isolated spots at Treeline. Below 2200m a buried layer of surface hoar (down 20 to 30cm) remains a layer of note, but due to the current lack of an overlying slab this layer has not been active. Deeper in the snowpack the November and october crust layers are being monitored, but are not currently active.  The facetting is weakening the upper snowpack and we are starting to see more loose dry avalanches occurring.  Ice climbers within gullied terrain should be particularly aware of this concern.

Regions covered