Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Feb 6th, 2017–Feb 7th, 2017

Alpine

4: High

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be high

Treeline

3: Considerable

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable

Below Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate

Alpine

3: Considerable

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable

Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate

Below Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Alpine

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate

Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate

Below Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Glacier.

Be suspicious of what's above you, Avalanches ran full path yesterday! Good day to avoid avalanche terrain and ski/ride in the trees or sheltered locations from the wind.

Weather Forecast

It's cold, but at least it's windy as the Alberta high moves south west over us. Alpine high of -19 with isolated flurries, winds easing to moderate. No significant precipitation forecasted until Thursday, when a low pressure system encroaches from the pacific. Hopefully bringing with it warmer temps and 35mm of precipitation.

Snowpack Summary

Strong winds from the Northerly quarter has reverse loaded 25cm of storm snow forming wind slabs on lee terrain features. This wind slab overlies yesterday's storm slab which sits on Saturday's wind slab. These surface and near surface instabilities are sitting on a variety of old surfaces, sun crusts and near surface faceting.

Avalanche Summary

On Mt Fidelity yesterday we saw a widespread storm slab avalanche cycle to size 2 on all aspects and elevations. The slabs were 20cm deep, propagating up to 50m wide and remoting from up to 50m away. In the Highway corridor, there was also a widespread avalanche cycle to size 3.5 mainly on the East side of the Pass, with the average size being a 2.

Confidence

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind and storm slabs have produced many avalanches of late, up to size 3.5! Storm slabs were hair triggered yesterday on the west end of the park averaging size 1.5 at and below TL. Saturday a wind slab was triggered on a solar asp sliding on a crust

Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.Sheltered slopes at lower elevations will offer the best skiing today.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood: Likely - Very Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 3