Improved skiing conditions may be tempting but new snow and wind have built a slab over a persistent weak layer. Avoid wind-loaded terrain and make careful assessments.
New snow accompanied by strong winds has formed reactive wind slabs. Use caution, as wind loading has extended much lower on slopes than expected
New snow and strong winds have built a cohesive slab over this problematic layer. Avalanche control on Friday produced failures on this layer up to size 3. Wind has also loaded this slab much lower on slopes than expected.
Visibility remained poor along the Icefields Parkway, but observations confirmed a continued natural avalanche cycle driven by new precipitation and strong winds.
Avalanche control at Parkers produced several persistent slab results up to size 3, with the majority of loading occurring much lower on the slopes.
15–30 cm of new snow (with the higher amounts around the icefields) has been redistributed by strong winds, building wind slab over various old hard surfaces and a patchy surface hoar layer below treeline. This new snow has added load to a late January weak layer of facets and spotty surface hoar buried 30–60 cm deep, forming a persistent slab. The mid-pack is generally dense and well consolidated, with basal facets present in thinner snowpack areas.
Cold and clear to start on Saturday with sunny skies, no precipitation, light ridge winds, and alpine highs near -11°C. Sunday stays dry with sun and cloud, warming to -6°C with freezing levels rising to 1600 m. Monday brings ~6 cm of snow, alpine highs near -3°C, light winds gusting to 30 km/h, and freezing levels back to valley bottom.
