The Icefields Parkway will be closed due to increasing avalanche hazard on March 8th. The closure will start at 5:00PM and last until avalanche control can be completed on Monday.
Check for updates on Alberta 511
It's time to step back from most avalanche terrain as the storm rolls in and the avalanche hazard rises.
There are two Persistent layers in the upper 50cm of the snowpack both consisting of weak facets. There were numerous avalanches up to size 2.5 during the warm up this past weekend on these layers. Natural avalanches are less likely with the cooler temps but human triggering remains possible.
Watch for increasing slab avalanche activity as the storm moves in and the wind increases.
Recent avalanche activity on this layer was reported by the local ski hill in the surrounding backcountry on Friday. The large depth hoar at the base of the snowpack remains inherently weak. Be careful in shallow rocky areas.
Two large naturally occurring Deep Persistent Slabs were observed in the backcountry adjacent to the ski hill on March 7th.
Up to 15cm of snow overlies a sun crust on solar aspects to mountaintop, and a melt-freeze crust at lower elevations. Within the upper 50 cm of the snowpack there are two persistent weak layers consisting of facets, crusts, and old wind slabs. The bottom of the snowpack is generally weak facets and depth hoar.
Saturday
Periods of snow.
Accumulation: 18 cm.
Alpine temperature: High -4 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 20 km/h gusting to 60 km/h.
Sunday
Snow, heavy at times.
Accumulation: 27 cm.
Alpine temperature: Low -5 °C, High -4 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h gusting to 60 km/h.
Monday
Flurries.
Accumulation: 8 cm.
Alpine temperature: Low -13 °C, High -9 °C.
Ridge wind west: 15 km/h gusting to 45 km/h.
