Enjoy the recent snow!
Continue to consider exposure to deep persistent avalanches, overhead and avoiding areas with wind slab in alpine terrain.
Avalanche control is planned for the Mt Bourgeau evening of Dec 26th, and Vermillion Peak and Mt Wymper Dec 27th. The closure zones for these areas will be in effect.
Moderate-strong southerly and westerly winds have created fresh wind slabs in alpine and open treeline terrain. Winds and transport on Dec 26th were reported more significant around HWY 93S, and less so around Lake Louise.
The natural avalanche cycle on this layer has ended but skier triggering on this layer is still possible. Windslab avalanches could also trigger this layer, resulting in a large avalanche.
A few natural avalanches up to size 1.5 from the last 48 hours were observed on a road patrol on the Sunshine road. No other new avalanches were observed or reported.
20-50 cm storm snow in the last 72 hours and moderate southerly and westerly winds have created fresh windslabs in alpine and open treeline terrain. Snowpack continues to settle. There is 35-70 cm settled over top of the Dec 15 melt freeze crust (which is present to ~1800 - 2000m) and the Nov facet/crust interface is down 80-160 cm. Treeline snow depths around 100-200 plus cm.
Tonight: Flurries. Accumulation: 11 cm. Alpine temps: Low -19 °C. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 35 km/h.
Saturday: Sunny with cloudy periods and isolated flurries. Alpine temperature: High -17 °C. Ridge wind light to 20 km/h.
Sunday: Sunny with cloudy periods. Alpine temperature: Low -17 °C, High -10 °C. Possibly an alpine temperature inversion.
