Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 28th, 2022 5:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
JMinifie,
Avalanche Canada
Small amounts of new snow will continue to heal firm surfaces in White Pass but the best riding will still be found in sheltered terrain. New snow will form small wind slabs that could be a problem in higher consequence terrain. Maintain good backcountry travel habits.
Summary
Confidence
Weather Forecast
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy. Up to 5cm of new snow. Winds will blow light from the southwest. Low of -8°C.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy but the sun might peak out briefly. No new snow. Light southwest winds. High of -3°C.
Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud. No new snow. Variable winds that will be moderate at times. A low of -8°C and a high of -4°C.
Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud. No new snow. Light winds from the southwest. A low of -12°C and a high of -6°C
Avalanche Summary
Small, skier cut, wind slab avalanches to size 1 were reported from the weekend. We expect to see more of this as 5-10cm of new snow arrives on Monday.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 10cm of new snow fell overnight on Sunday and another 5cm is forecast to fall through the day on Monday. Light to moderate winds will likely blow this fresh snow into reactive wind slabs in immediate lee features at upper tree line and alpine elevations similar to what was reported in this MIN report on Sunday. We haven't had enough new snow to heal all of the old, hard surfaces so the best riding will still be found in sheltered areas.
A shallowly buried crust (around 20 cm deep) extends up to at least 1200 m on all aspects. It appears to be well bonded to surrounding snow, and is beginning to break down. Below this, the mid-pack is generally well-settled and strong in most areas. The basal snowpack consists of weak, sugary facets.
Areas north of the White Pass such as Paddy Peak, Tutshi, and Powder Valley continue to host a wind smashed and scoured landscape.
Terrain and Travel
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
- Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Small amounts of new snow will be distributed into wind slabs in immediate lee features at upper tree line and alpine elevations. These avalanches could be an issue in more extreme terrain. Take your first few turns with caution and keep your head up while high-marking as this problem is more likely present at the tops of slopes.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 1st, 2022 5:00PM
