Expect avalanche activity to increase over the day as new snow and wind continue to build storm slabs over a surface hoar layer.
Limit your exposure to overhead hazards and enjoy pow turns in conservative terrain.
The Winter Permit System is in effect. Take the quiz and get your permit.
Watch out for sluffing in steep terrain especially above cliffs and around terrain traps. Small avalanches could also trigger the storm slab problem, resulting in a large avalanche.
Surface hoar has been buried by a building storm slab with continued snow and strong South West winds. There is increasing potential for wide propagation and large avalanches as the storm continues into Wednesday.
A natural avalanche cycle started Sunday afternoon on the East end of the Park from steep paths on Tupper and Mt MacDonald up to size 2.5. Expect avalanche activity to increase throughout the day on Monday as the storm continues and intensifies.
Artillery avalanche control is tentatively planned for Tuesday.
Over the last few days, 20-35cm of new snow covers surface hoar and a thin crust of steep solar aspects. This layer is showing Sudden Planner results in snowpack tests. Expect slab formation in exposed areas at and above tree line.
There is ~100cm of snow at tree line, which is below average for this time of year. Many early-season hazards still exist at or just below the snow surface.
The base of the snowpack consists of weak, sugary facets in most areas.
Finally, a notable system moves into the region on Monday afternoon bringing 10cm by early evening and another 20-30cm by Tuesday morning. Winds are forecasted to be 25-55km/h from the SW at ridgetops with an alpine high of -2 and a freezing level of 1400m.
Tuesday into Wednesday will see another 30-40cm and strong winds with a freezing level of up to 2200m.
