Yukon
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 17th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 16th, 2025claggy
We had limited visibility today for travel so we followed our sled tracks from yesterday to head a little further into the Big Blue drainage. The winds were strong from the south with temperatures of -4 at 1550 meters. We did not ride due to visibility but did get our heads in the snow for a look at the snowpack.
On a wind loaded alpine north aspect at 1550m, the foot penetration was 25cm. With the height of snow around 190 cm, we found no results of concern.
We did a deep tap test on our Dec melt freeze crust with no results; DTN, CTX, ECTX.
Yukon Field Team,
Wednesday 16th April, 2025 11:30AM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 15th, 2025Spring pow
Today we found good riding conditions in sheltered areas, with about 10 cm of new snow from Monday. The short periods of sun and warm temperatures meant the new snow was getting a little cakey, but still fun.
Winds were moderate southerlies, and we expect there are still some stubborn pockets of wind slab in the alpine on convex features or near ridgetop. We didn’t see any new avalanches.
We dug at 1200 m on a northeast facing slope and found between 105 and 175 cm of total snow depth. 30 cm of soft snow overlies the melt freeze crust which formed a few weeks ago during a warming event.
At 90 cm deep we found large facets which sit below the final remnants of the December weak layer (it’s almost completely broken down).
These facets did not produce propagating Extended Column Test results but we did get repeatable hard Column Test results (CTH22).
Below the facets, there are moist grains to ground, which show good strength and a rounding/bonding trend. At the moment, we would only be worried about this layer with very hard loads like a big rain event or extreme warming.
Yukon Field Team,
Tuesday 15th April, 2025 12:00PM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 14th, 2025Sastrugi is not a pasta
Today we saw one new natural wind slab avalanche that likely occurred in the last 12-24 hours, on a steep north facing feature just above treeline. It was a size 1 and about 10 - 15 cm deep. We suspect this ran on the firm melt-freeze crust which exists almost everywhere underneath the new snow, except for on high north-facing slopes.
Almost everywhere is wind affected from strong south winds. We were able to sled cut small lee slopes and produce cracking up to 40 cm deep. We did find soft snow and good riding in a sheltered alpine basin.
Yukon Field Team,
Monday 14th April, 2025 12:00PM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 13th, 2025North Log Cabin
Saw one wind loaded feature that had naturally released on a second lap. Didn’t encounter any instability underfoot while sticking to fairly mellow slopes. Pretty warm day, new snow made for decent turns in sheltered terrain but stayed away from gullies and terrain traps.
poilegraeme,
Sunday 13th April, 2025 12:00AM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 12th, 2025Deep Slab
Sledder accidental of what seemed like a wind loaded feature.
The sledder was riding downhill from the top, sledded straight through the powder cloud and made it out.
Sz. 2.5 , 1m+ crown.
vincentjauvin,
Saturday 12th April, 2025 3:00PM
Sniffing out softies
Skied the North facing bowl from the summit of Log Cabin. Cement in most areas with pockets of wind pressed powder here and there. Wind picked up significantly in the afternoon and reactive wind slabs were present throughout the alpine. Temps stayed cool and no impact from solar observed until at lower elevations near treeline. Some soft snow and large cornices lurk in the north faces still.
brianhyde,
Saturday 12th April, 2025 2:00PM
Babies, BBQs, Booters, Blowing Wind & Blower Pow!
Spent the weekend in Haines Pass exploring the Summit area ranges. Babies on snowmobiles, bbq parties, and booters were giving spring vibes.
Winds were light to moderate with mod to strong gusts from the S. The highway corridor was very wind affected but as you progressed deeper into the range there was less wind affected soft snow that made for some excellent sledding and skiing.
We skier triggered a Sz 1-1.5 wind slab off a steep convex feature about 20cm deep in the recent wind transported storm snow overlying the old bed surface. Saw another similar size slab avalanche in the area triggered by snowmobile and a couple cornice failures.
In general, the snowpack appears to be trending towards to low hazard with some isolated features reactive to human triggering. The weather turned out to be better than forecasted. A great weekend to get out!
info.live4therush,
Saturday 12th April, 2025 12:00PM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 11th, 2025Windy and Grey
Today was a grey ol’ day in the White Pass, with snow flurries and strong south winds.
We found a lot of areas scoured back to an old crust, or firm old tracks, with a few sheltered areas maintaining 5 to 10 cm of soft new snow.
We didn’t see any new avalanches but we didn’t see much! If you’re heading out this weekend, be sure to watch out for reactive deposits of wind slab on north and east aspects.
Yukon Field Team,
Friday 11th April, 2025 2:00PM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 10th, 2025All Gravy
We saw one natural size 1 wind slab from a north facing slope in the alpine today. Otherwise, we found very little wind effect in the 5 to 20 cm of soft snow we found, which made for great riding.
The sun was strong and temperatures were mild, with the surface snow becoming moist on all aspects, except for true north facing slopes, all the way up to 1600 m this afternoon.
Yukon Field Team,
Thursday 10th April, 2025 12:00PM
Good conditions on Cleveland SE
Went on Cleveland SE from White Pass summit. Approx 5cm of fresh snow (wet) on eastern aspects, 15-40 cm of fresh snow deposited on northern aspects. Great riding conditions in altitude. No recent sign of avalanche (last 24h).
Another party was in Cleveland couloir.
Emile P,
Thursday 10th April, 2025 11:00AM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Cornices, Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 9th, 2025Gray Days at Bryant Lake
We managed to enjoy about 2 hours of sun this morning before the weather rolled in and sent us packing. About 5 cm of new snow over the past 24 hours has fallen at alpine elevations, accompanied by light to moderate south winds. This new snow sits atop a hard drought layer in most areas, making for decent ski quality. We did not observe any reactive windslab, and cool temperatures (around 0 c at 1100 m) were keeping the snow in place. All in all a good morning on Little Kahuna. Pray for sun.
Yukon Field Team,
Wednesday 9th April, 2025 3:00PM
Wind surfing
Wind were strong overnight and during the day, redistributing snow on polar aspects.
Ski quality was all over the place, from excellent powder to wind hammered/rimed crust. Main concern were Windslabs at ridge top down 15-25cm which were mostly soft and reactive to skier traffic.
Lots of spring convective action and isothermal snowpack below 3-5cm breakable crust at valley bottom.
vincentjauvin,
Wednesday 9th April, 2025 10:30AM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Cornices, Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 8th, 2025East White Pass
We did the big tour of the east side today, travelling up Big Blue, down the Big Y and out the drainage immediately east of Fantail. About 5 cm of new storm snow sits at alpine elevations, and it was snowing throughout the day. We'll look forward to seeing how much snow falls throughout the week, as it is looking active. By 3 pm, the snow was largely isothermal below 1100 m. We learned this the hard way with a long sled out Fantail through mushy, isothermal snow and slush. Many stucks. Early starts and finishes are going to be the winning strategy through the spring!
Yukon Field Team,
Tuesday 8th April, 2025 4:00PM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Cornices, Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 7th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Cornices, Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 6th, 2025North Log Cabin
Skied up to 1400m on the North slopes of Log Cabin, turning back as we hit the cloud level. Some wind transport occurring due to strong southerlies, but we did not encounter any significant accumulation or slab formation.
Ski conditions were generally poor. Melt crust up to approx 1250m and wind hammered above treeline. Some very nasty unsupportive crust found intermittently between 900-1100m.
Temperature near 0*C at 1400m in the early afternoon.
Cloud coverage decreased as forecast in mid-afternoon.
wallan,
Sunday 6th April, 2025 2:00PM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Cornices, Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 5th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet.
Published: Apr 4th, 2025