Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 28th, 2016 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Loose Wet, Persistent Slabs and Cornices.
Tim Haggarty,
Avalanche Canada
With a high pressure system settling into the divide over the next few days, heating will be the critical factor to monitor. Expect a steady heating trend to increase the avalanche hazard toward the weekend.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Following the upslope precip that arrived Sunday, forecasts show a large high pressure system pushing into the divide overnight. This should bring a good freeze into Tuesday but freezing levels will quickly return to around treeline with the potential for a trace of precip. A weak freeze into Wednesday, again with a bit of precip as temps rise...
Snowpack Summary
Up to 5cm of new snow Sunday became moist to 2000m. In the top meter of the snowpack, several buried suncrusts exist and may still be a concern on west, south and east aspects but in general the snowpack is well settled. Low elevation snowpacks (Field ice climbs) are isothermal and slushy in the PM.
Avalanche Summary
One avalanche was reported on the West face of Mt. Ogden from a party coming off of the Bow-Yoho traverse Saturday . 2600m, Size 3 and approximately 1100m wide and likely failed on a crust in the previous 2-3 days. Loose wet natural activity continues to size two and skier triggering of the moist new snow over crusts was easy today at treeline
Confidence
Problems
Loose Wet
This activity has largely been seen out of fairly extreme terrain with solar heating over the weekend however it was very easy to push the new snow off of buried crusts as it was warming up today. Be careful with terrain traps like cliffs and gullies
- Minimize exposure when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Several buried suncrusts exist in the upper pack on S, E and W aspects. These crust are variable by nature and are likely responsible for the slab activity in the area. Heating may make these slabs more sensitive later this week.
- Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.
- Travel early before the heat of the day, and avoid big slopes in the afternoon.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Cornices are large. Give them a wide berth on ridge crests, as they can pull back a long way when they fail and may trigger an avalanche below. If you need to travel under cornices, move quickly but think twice if there is significant heating.
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger persistent slabs.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 29th, 2016 4:00PM
