Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Boundary, Kootenay Pass, Moyie, Norns, Rossland, St. Mary, Ymir.
Periods of low danger can be a great time to tackle steeper terrain and more committing objectives.
Continue to use normal caution and good travel habits in avalanche terrain.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday and Monday, sluffing was reported in steep terrain.
With the current weather forecast and snowpack conditions, we foresee both natural and human-triggered avalanches to remain unlikely.
If you venture into the backcountry, please consider submitting your observations to the MIN.
Snowpack Summary
A sun crust up to 5 cm thick caps the snowpack on steep south-facing slopes, while new surface hoar is forming in many areas. Wind-affected snow is widespread in open, upper-elevation terrain.
In sheltered terrain, 10–30 cm of snow overlays a layer or in some cases, several layers of surface hoar buried fairly close together. These layers may be deeper on wind-loaded slopes.
A layer of surface hoar, facets, and/or crust buried in early December is 50 to 120 cm deep. Snowpack tests and the absence of recent activity indicate it is no longer a significant concern.
The lower snowpack is generally strong and bonded.
Weather Summary
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear. 50 to 70 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Wednesday
Sunny. 30 to 50 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
Thursday
Mostly sunny. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Friday
Sunny. 40 to 50 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- The snowpack is generally stable; it may be appropriate to step out into more complex terrain.
- Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for slabs before you commit to it.
- Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.