Pockets of new Wind Slab. A tricky Persistent Slab avalanche problem is awakening in the South of the region - take a cautious approach to shady alpine terrain (the best skiing).
Weather Forecast
5cm snowfall forecast for Parkers Ridge Saturday night, and a trace for the Jasper area. Strong SW winds overnight, slowly easing to Moderate by Sunday. Mainly sunny for Jasper, but mainly cloudy for the Icefields region. Freezing level 1700m, Treeline Low -7, High -4. Mon/Tues: Continued sun/cloud/flurries, Freezing level 2000m, light winds
Snowpack Summary
Regular small snowfalls are settling quickly, over a melt-freeze crust everywhere except N aspects above treeline. Small windslabs are building on lee slopes (alpine and treeline). It's still a winter snowpack on alpine North aspects, with facets still producing sudden test results down 50cm, and whumphing in the South of the bulletin region.
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday, a road patrol to Maligne Lake did not see any new avalanches.On Friday, A recent Large (Size 2.5), natural Persistent Slab was noted on a steep NE facing alpine slope, in the Icefields area. Previous persistent slab activity was noted on N & NE aspects above 2700m on Mt Wilson. A few small loose drys were observed near Marmot Basin.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations
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.