Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.

Sunday night: Blustery with localized flurries, up to 10 cm. Increasing east wind. Ridgetop low - 12 C.

Monday: Unsettled and convective with clouds and patches of sun. Moderate east-northeast wind. Ridgetop high -4 C.

Tuesday: Cloudy with isolated flurries. Moderate northeast wind. Ridgetop high -9 C.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with sunny breaks. Light east wind. Ridgetop high -8 C.

A Saturday report documented a large cornice falling naturally on a northwest aspect at 2200 m did not trigger the slope below, but the cornice itself ran quite far downslope.

Rapid warming triggered a loose wet avalanche cycle from solar slopes Last Thursday afternoon. The snowpack has since cooled and avalanche activity is unlikely, but re-frozen debris could be a real travel hazard.

Wind has impacted 5-30 cm of recent snowfall. This covers a crust up to 2200 m and to mountain top on steep, solar slopes.

A thick rain crust with facets above from early December is buried around 100-200 cm deep. Large avalanches were naturally triggered on this layer during the last significant warming event in western terrain near the Bugaboos. With cold temperatures, avalanche activity on this layer is unlikely, however could easily wake up again with the next major input of moisture or heat.

• Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.