Recently formed soft and hard slabs overlie a touchy weak layer 10-40cm below the surface are becoming more reactive.
The snowpack is becoming increasingly more complex, this is not a time to be stepping out into complex terrain.
Soft and hard slabs have developed due to the recent warm temperature and moderate to strong winds. Compression tests Jan 24th on this layer in the Sunshine area produced very easy results. Use caution in areas where this slab and weak layer are present.
The base of the snowpack consists of weak facets, depth hoar, and the overlying crust in the midpack continues to break down. Use caution in steep terrain, large planar slopes, and thin to thick areas where initiating these slabs would be more likely.
Lake Louise ski hill had explosive results up to size 2 on the basal weakness out of the steep terrain.
Sluffing continues out of steep terrain.
Surface level hard and soft slabs have formed due to recent warming and strong winds. These overlie touchy weak layers ~10cm and ~40cm below the surface that produce very easy sudden collapse results on compression tests.
The midpack offers some strength and features two crusts that persist as high as 2350m.
The lower part of the snowpack has weak facets and depth hoar and widespread whumphing has been observed in many locations over the last week.
Parks Jan 24th snow profile
Wed night and Thurs: Scattered flurries across the Range. Trace accumulations. Moderate to strong SW ridgetop winds. Freezing levels at valley bottom.
Friday: Isolated flurries across the Range. Nil accumulations. Mod to strong westerly to SW ridgetop winds. Freezing levels rising to 1500-1800 m.
Sat/Sun: Scattered flurries, trace accumulations. Mod to strong SW winds. Freezing levels rising to 1800-2200 m
