Kananaskis

A stable weather pattern will lead to little change in the avalanche hazard. Ski quality is lacking in most areas due to surface crusts. Pay attention to wind slabs as you transition to higher elevations.

Nothing new reported or observed on Saturday. On Friday one cornice collapse was noted in the Burstall Pass area triggering a size 2 wind slab on the underlying NE aspect slope.

Surface hoar has been growing over the past few days with the cooler nights. Otherwise not much is changing, and backcountry users can expect a thin melt freeze crust on all aspects up to 2300m, and higher and thicker on solar aspects. Wind slabs are common at treeline and above from the strong winds over this past week with some areas stripped down to rock. A surface hoar layer is also being found down 50cm up to 2100m that has been producing results in the hard range.

The November crust is deeply buried in the snowpack down 120-200cm. Field tests on this layer over the past few days have produced no results from a deep tap test on this layer. There is still some concern for triggering this layer from thin snowpack areas.

Sunday will be a mix of sun and cloud, with a high of -8C at treeline. Winds will continue to be moderate from the NW. No snowfall expected for the next few days.

https://hpfx.collab.science.gc.ca/~fsg006/productviewer/ab/table/AB_Rockies_Forecast.html

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avoid steep terrain, including convex rolls, or areas with a thin, rocky, or variable snowpack.
• Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
• Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.