Sea To Sky

With the new snow and strong wind avoid riding steep wind loaded slopes, or having them above you.

No recent avalanches reported.

Please keep sharing your observations via the MIN; it helps strengthen our information gathering!

Surface: a variety of recent snow, wind scoured, wind pressed, suncrusts, faceting old storm snow, and more. Upper-pack: on shaded terrain at all elevations large surface hoar (up to 10 mm) and generally unconsolidated snow. The upper snowpack consists of 20-50 cm of light snow.Mid-pack: 50 cm down (maybe 70 to 100 cm in deep wind loaded areas) is a late November crust, with soft facets above. This is likely the critical snowpack weakness. Professionals are concerned about the possibility avalanches still releasing at this deeper interface.

Total snow depths remain low for early December with 70 to 120 cm at treeline and up to 180 cm in the alpine. Much of the below treeline elevation band is below the threshold for avalanches.

Thursday NightIncoming storm delivering around 10 cm overnight with strong southerly winds. Treeline temperature -5 to -10 C. Freezing level around 500m.

Friday

Another 5 to 10 cm of snow brings storm accumulations around 30 or 35 cm. Moderate to strong southwest wind. Freezing level steady around 500 m.

Storm winding down with an additional 5 cm of snow, treeline temps -10 or colder, light to moderate southwest wind.

Continued light snow with light to moderate southerly winds. A few degrees warmer than Friday.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• The best and safest riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without any slab properties.
• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
• Use caution above cliffs and terrain traps where even small avalanches may have severe consequences.