Avalanche Forecast

Another day of cloudy cool conditions before some forecasted light snow mid-week.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mainly cloudy with clear periods, light southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -12 C.

TUESDAY: A mix of sun and clouds with isolated flurries, trace new snow, light south wind increasing to moderate late afternoon, treeline temperatures around -13 C.

WEDNESDAY: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, trace to 5 cm new snow, light to moderate southeast wind, treeline temperatures around -13 C.

THURSDAY: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, trace to 5 cm new snow, light southerly wind, treeline temperatures around -13 C.

No recent avalanches have been reported aside from loose dry avalanches (sluffs) from steep alpine and treeline terrain from the neighbouring Lizard Range forecasting area. Cornices are growing fragile with continued cold conditions faceting their bonds. 

Alpine and upper treeline terrain remains heavily wind affected from last week's strong to extreme southwest winds with scouring, sastrugi, isolated pockets of soft snow and layers of hard wind slab. A hard thick crust is found below 1800 m. Near-surface faceting continues to slowly soften hard surfaces and weaken cornices. 

A solid mid-pack sits above deeply buried decomposing crust and facet layers near the bottom of the snowpack (100-150 cm deep). Avalanche activity on these layers has been sporadic and mostly triggered by large loads such as wind slab avalanches and cornice falls. Though unreactive under the current conditions, steep rocky slopes and shallow snowpacks should still be carefully assessed and approached with caution.

• Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
• Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for wind slab hazard before you commit to it.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.