Crowsnest North

Consider the risk of an uncontrolled slide down a slope before committing to a steep line.

There is a thick crust on the surface that is reducing avalanche danger and making travel difficult.

High

• Confidence is due to a stable weather pattern; little change is expected for several days.

No new avalanches have been reported since Wednesday.

A thick crust is effectively capping the mid and lower snowpack at the moment. This crust is on all aspects and elevations. It may not be present in the very high alpine.

Below the crust we have several layers that are not currently a concern:

• A spotty layer of surface hoar buried 40 cm deep that is unreactive.

• A crust in the midpack, at treeline and below.

• A crust with facets near the base of the snowpack.

Average depth at treeline is 120-200 cm.

Saturday Night
Clear skies. 10 to 20 km/h variable direction ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 15 km/h variable direction ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Monday
Mostly sunny. 30 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Tuesday
Mostly sunny. 20 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
• This is a good time for exploring terrain.
• A hard crust on the snow surface will help strengthen the snowpack, but may cause tough travel conditions.