Date issued

Jan 15, 2018 - 4:00 PM

Valid until

Jan 16, 2018 - 4:00 PM

Prepared by

max darrah

Regular season
Tuesday - January 16, 2018
Alpine

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.

Treeline

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.

Below Treeline

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.

Wednesday - January 17, 2018
Alpine

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.

Treeline

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.

Below Treeline

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.

Thursday - January 18, 2018
Alpine

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.

Treeline

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.

Below Treeline

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.

Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Dry

What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?

Natural point release avalanches continued on Monday - loose dry on NE aspects and loose wet on solar aspects. This natural activity is expected to continue on Tuesday.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Avoid ice climbs exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects during the middle of the day.

Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs

What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?

The recent snow was redistributed into thin, spotty slabs in exposed areas. These slabs sit on freshly buried, weak facets and surface hoar in some areas.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Watch for surface cracking and stiffer surface layers of snow.
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.

Avalanche Problem 3: Persistent Slabs

What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?

Isolated slab avalanches to size 2 were reported by field teams, which were triggered by loose snow avalanches from the cliffs above the start zones.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Carefully evaluate big terrain features by digging and testing on adjacent, safe slopes.
  • Avoid shallow snowpack areas where triggering is more likely.

Avalanche Summary

Another pulse of natural loose dry point releases was observed today in the Columbia Icefield area and in the Maligne Valley. These slides were mostly out of steep, solar facing terrain. Field teams did not observe any new slab avalanches avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

10-15cm of recent snow has blown into thin slabs TL and above. Although the mid-pack Dec 15 layer of concern has not been reactive in test profiles (nor has it been tied to any recent avalanche activity in the Jasper area), we are still monitoring this interface closely. There is still a distinct crust (Nov 17) in the lower third of the snowpack.

Weather Forecast

Pacific air will continue to override cooler air in the valleys producing a temperature inversion through to Tuesday. Winds should remain light from the SW through Monday until late in the day Tuesday when they will increase and potentially bring some light flurries or rain. 10mm of precipitation with moderate SW winds expected to arrive mid-week.

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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