Avalanche Forecast

On Friday, local operators were able to trigger a number of storm slab avalanches with the use of explosives. Control work also focused on mitigating the overhead hazards that cornices now pose. Make sure to use caution in areas where cornices are present.

Thursday, avalanche control work was done by a local operator. They were able to trigger a cornice avalanche that triggered a buried layer when it impacted the slope below it.

Alpine winds will have redistributed 40 to 70 cm storm snow this past week at higher elevations. As you descend in elevation wind effect decreases and the temperature effect increases and the new snow will be heavier and more moist

There are a number of crusts buried between 50 to 80 cm deep that were formed in January. It may have been on these layers that the avalanches that occurred this past week slid on.

A number of weak layers exist within the middle and lower snowpack. These layers have not been very reactive lately. Total snowpack depths are reaching 300 cm in some areas.

Saturday Night

Increasing clouds into the evening, trace accumulation, winds southwest 20 to 30 km/h, treeline temperatures -2 °C.

Sunday

Cloudy, 9 to 13 cm accumulation, winds southwest 30 to 35 km/h, treeline temperatures -3 °C.

Monday

Mostly cloudy, 8 cm accumulation arriving primarily in the early morning hours, winds southwest 25 to 30 km/h, treeline temperatures -8 °C.

Tuesday

Sunny, no accumulation, winds north 10 to 15 km/h, treeline -9 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• The best and safest riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without any slab properties.
• Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind exposed terrain.
• Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
• Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
• Caution around slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.