Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Mar 7 – 8, 2017Alberta Parks
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The natural avalanche cycle continues, and human triggering is likely. Conservative route selection is in order.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3
    Storm/wind slabs between 40 and 65cm thick are found in lee and cross-loaded features at Treeline and above. Natural avalanche activity associated to this problem continues, and many slopes appear primed for human-triggering.

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3
    Several cornice failures have occurred in the past few days which have triggered deep and large avalanches.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3
    An avalanche initiated in the upper snowpack could step down to a deeper weak layer.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Up to 5cm of snow is expected overnight. Wednesday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Ridge-top winds will be out of the west at 20-40 km/h., and Alpine temperatures will reach -14 °C. More flurries are expected on Thursday.

Avalanche Summary

A natural avalanche cycle continues with slides up to size 3.0 occurring in steep Alpine and Treeline terrain on lee and cross-loaded features. A public report on the Mountain Information Network (MIN) describes a cornice triggered size 3.0 avalanche in the Tryst Lake area with a very wide propagation on Sunday. This slide may have also sympathetically triggered additional smaller avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

Variable new snow amounts overnight with some areas getting up to 10cm. Variable wind effect in Alpine and open areas at Treeline. Cornices are large and several failures have occurred in recent days. The mid-pack remains supportive, but the basal weak layer persist.

Regions covered