Avalanche Forecast

Avalanche Bulletin - Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks

Date issued

Oct 22, 2017 - 11:30 AM

Valid until

until further notice

Prepared by

grant statham

Its winter up high with 50-100cm. If heading into the alpine, make the mental shift to thinking about avalanches and the types of terrain that could pose problems. This is especially true for ice climbers in or under steep gullies. SH

Danger Ratings
Problems
Details

Early Season Conditions

Insufficient observations exist to reliably rate the avalanche danger. Expect shallow snow cover with thinly buried rocks and trees just beneath the surface. Avalanche danger often concentrates in gullies and other deposition areas, where windslabs may bond poorly to a weak underlying base. Deeper snow usually exists at higher elevations.

More Early Season Details

Avalanche Summary

Sluffs to size 2 in steep gullies in the alpine have been noted with very limited observations.

Snowpack Summary

Some recent storms have deposited the base of the snowpack which is 50-100cm deep in the high alpine, with lesser amounts below down to the snow line at 2000m. The most recent one this week deposited 40-60cm up high, with pockets of wind slab and fragile cornices starting to appear on high leeward slopes from previous strong to extreme SW winds

Weather Forecast

Another 20-30cm in the alpine is possible starting Saturday night through to Monday and another pulse on Wednesday. Temperatures be warmer on Monday and Tuesday (warmest in the front ranges) with clearer weather.

Danger Ratings Explained

1 - Low

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely.

Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain.

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

3 - Considerable

Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making essential.

Natural avalanches possible; human-triggered avalanches likely.

Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas.

4 - High

Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain not recommended.

Natural avalanches likely; human-triggered avalanches very likely.

Large avalanches in many areas; or very large avalanches in specific areas.

5 - Extreme

Avoid all avalanche terrain.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches certain.

Large to very large avalanches in many areas.

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