Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 24th, 2022 4:00PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is below threshold.

Avalanche Canada bchristie, Avalanche Canada

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Yukon.

Terrain sheltered from the wind still holds soft snow. Stiff windslabs are unlikely to avalanche under the weight of a rider, but they can make for challenging riding conditions.

Good backcountry safety and travel habits are still important.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Weather Forecast

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy. Possible trace of snow expected. Moderate to strong south to southwest ridgetop wind. Temperature inversion breaking down. Alpine low around -6 °C.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. 0-2 cm of snow expected. Strong to extreme south ridgetop wind. Alpine high around -6 °C.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. 0-2 cm of snow expected overnight, and another 0-2 cm through the day. Moderate to strong southeast ridgetop wind. Alpine high around -8 °C.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy. 2-5 cm of snow expected overnight, and another 2-5 cm through the day. Moderate to strong southeast ridgetop wind. Alpine high around -5 °C.

Avalanche Summary

We have received no reports of recent avalanche activity.

Snowpack Summary

Surface snow has been extensively wind affected by outflow winds on Monday and strong southwest winds on Tuesday, and is very firm in exposed areas. You'll still find some soft snow in terrain that has been sheltered from the recent, variable winds. 

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.

Terrain and Travel

  • Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for wind slab hazard before you commit to it.
  • Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.

Valid until: Feb 25th, 2022 4:00PM

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