Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Regions
Glacier.
Cornices should be given a wide berth as per our usual safe traveling habits. Be wary of wind slabs near ridge lines and shallow snowpack areas.
Weather Forecast
A weak Pacific storm is tracking across BC, dropping another 5-10cm today at Rogers Pass; Freeing Levels will rise to 1300m and the winds will be moderate with strong gusts from the SW. We should get another 10cm tonight, and another 5cm on Thursday. Freezing levels will stay high for the next few days.
Snowpack Summary
Another 10cm of new snow buries previous low-density storm snow in sheltered locations at TL and wind slabs in isolated areas in the Alpine. The January 2nd interface/thin freezing rain crust is buried approx 90cm beneath the surface. The Nov 21st interface is now buried 1m+ in shallow areas and over 2m in deeper spots.
Avalanche Summary
A skier accidental size 3.5 was triggered on the up track to Camp West yesterday afternoon, see the MIN report here. The crown was 40cm deep where triggered and grew to over 1m in the deeper spots. Width of the crown is well over 100m and ran for over a kilometer!
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.