A winter snowpack still exists at upper elevations. Be diligent in your hazard management as you transition into the alpine.
Weather Forecast
A brief bout of stable weather on Monday, ahead of a Coastal low pushing a series of fronts inland. Snow/rainfall starting Monday night is forecast to bring 10-25mm by the end of the week. Monday: Mainly sunny with cloudy periods and isolated flurries. Treeline temps: Low -8 C, High -2 C. Ridge wind light west. Freezing level: 2100m.
Snowpack Summary
Recent small snowfalls are settling quickly, over a melt-freeze crust everywhere except N aspects above treeline. Small windslabs can be found on lee slopes (alpine and treeline). It's still a winter snowpack on high North aspects, with facets in isolated areas giving sudden test results down 50cm, and whumphing in the South of the region.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, a recent Large (Size 2.5), natural Persistent Slab was noted on a steep NE facing alpine slope in the Icefields area. Previous persistent slab activity was noted on N & NE aspects above 2700m on Mt Wilson.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.