Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bonnington, Crawford, Grohman, Kootenay Boundary, Kootenay Pass, Moyie, Norns, Rossland, St. Mary, Ymir.
Periods of low danger can be a good time to increase your exposure.
Continue to use normal caution and good travel habits in avalanche terrain.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
On Wednesday, several small (size 1) human and solar-triggered natural avalanches were reported out of steep south-facing 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 is present on the surface and within the upper snowpack, on steep south-facing slopes. In some areas a new layer of surface hoar is growing.
In sheltered terrain, 10–15 cm of snow overlays a layer of surface hoar from early January. This interface may be deeper on wind-loaded slopes.
An older weak layer from early December, consisting of a surface hoar/facet/crust combination, is buried 50 to 120 cm deep. However, 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
Friday Night
Partly cloudy with 0 to 3 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. 15 to 20 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Sunday
Sunny. 20 to 40 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Monday
Sunny. 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -15 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- This is a good time for exploring terrain.
- 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.