Strong to extreme southwest winds and new snow on Friday adding to slab problem in the alpine and tree line. Snowpack is variable - dig and test to see what's happening where you are. Maligne road forecast to open mid day Thurs - 511 for updates.
Recent snow is available for transport on the Icefileds Parkway and Maligne area. This new snow will make previous wind slab difficult to spot. Be on the lookout for reverse loading caused by previous northerly winds.
Persistent slabs sit over different weak layers depending on elevation & aspect. Above 1950m a buried facet layer down 20-40cm is the primary concern. Below 1950m, a faceting crust down 40-70 is presenting a more stubborn version of a similar problem
Thursday: Cloudy isolated flurries. Alpine temp: High -10 C. Wind west 20 km/hr.
Friday: Flurries - up to 9cm. Alpine temp: Low -9 C, High -7 C. Wind west 30 gust 85 km/hr.
Saturday: Variable cloud isolated flurries. Alpine temp: Low -14 C, High -11 C. Wind west 20 gust 50 km/hr.
New snow with previous N and present SW winds building slabs in alpine and tree line lee features. Varied wind effect at all elevations. Snowpack is facetted and complex. Buried surface hoar found in isolated locations; December facet layers down 20-40cm still reactive in tests. Upslope storm last Sunday produced up to 35cm in the Maligne Range.
Explosive control Wednesday produced several avalanches up to size 1 dry loose and size 2 wind slab Medicine lake area.
