Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 18th, 2023 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.
DK,
Avalanche Canada
The snowpack is weak, facetted, dry, and cold at all elevations, throughout the region. It's not a rider's snowpack; maybe not until after Christmas, or later. If you find the snowpack supportive, you are on a slab over weak facets, not a good combo.
Ice Climbers: What's over your head? Watch for isolated slabs, loose dry, and sluffs.
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
Few small wind slabs observed in the last few days across the region. These slabs were found near ridge tops on northerly aspects and did not step down to deeper instabilities.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack is 50-80cm deep and is weak and facetted. A surface hoar layer is down 15-20cm below 2300m. Strong winds have stripped exposed alpine and tree-line terrain and created wind-slabs in cross-loaded and lee features. Windward slopes are either stripped of snow or the snow left has been pressed into sastrugi.
Weather Summary
The Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada https://www.avalanche.ca/weather/forecast
MondayCloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries; only a trace. Alpine High -3 °C. Ridge wind light southwest. Freezing level: 1700 metres.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid areas where the snow feels stiff and/or slabby.
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Strong to extreme southwesterly winds created a few wind slab layers over the last week. Wind slab natural activity seems to have petered off in the last 48 hours.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
No natural activity observed. Keep this on your radar as triggering remains possible with the shallow nature of the overall snowpack. This problem is of most concern in wind loaded alpine features, specifically below ridge tops.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 19th, 2023 4:00PM
