Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 23rd, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
bchristie,
Avalanche Canada
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
Weather Forecast
Wednesday Night: Clear. No new snow expected. Moderate southwest ridgetop wind. Alpine temperatures around -7 °C.
Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud. No new snow expected. Moderate to strong southwest ridgetop wind. Possible temperature inversion could make for temperatures warmer than -5 °C above 2000 m.
Friday: Mostly cloudy. 0-2 cm of snow expected. Strong to extreme southwest ridgetop wind. Temperature inversion breaking down. Alpine high around -7 °C.
Saturday: Mostly cloudy. 0-5 cm of snow expected, and another 2-5 through the day. Moderate to strong southeast ridgetop wind. Alpine high around -8 °C.
Avalanche Summary
We have received no reports of recent avalanche activity.
Snowpack Summary
Surface snow has been extensively wind affected by outflows on Monday followed by strong southwest flow Tuesday, and is very firm in exposed 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.
Terrain and Travel
- Sheltered slopes at lower elevations will offer the best riding.
- Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
- Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for wind slab hazard before you commit to it.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Recent wind direction has been variable so watch for wind loading on a variety of aspects.
Windslabs have been reported to be quite hard, and mostly unreactive to rider traffic. It may still be possible to trigger them with a large load like a cornice fall.
Whumpfing, cracking, and hollow sounds are all signs of instability that should cause you to back off into lower angle or less wind-loaded terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 24th, 2022 4:00PM
