Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Jasper National Park
The persistent slab problem continues to make it difficult to travel in avalanche terrain with any degree of confidence. Be wary of any avalanche terrain that does not show signs of having already avalanched particularly at, and just above, treeline.
Avalanche Problem 1: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, and shooting cracks.
- Use conservative route selection, stick to supported terrain features, avoid overhead hazards.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
While the winds are now starting to back off, they blew hard, and from a variety of directions all week. Fresh windslabs that are hard in the alpine and exist well into treeline areas can be expected to be be sensitive to skier triggering.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- The best powder will be found in sheltered locations at or below treeline.
- If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche activity observed or reported in the last week however an extensive cycle resulted when the persistent slab became overloaded with successive storms totalling 50cm each on January 30th and February 8th. Avalanches to size 3.5 were observed from most aspects and at most elevations with the majority of the action seen around 21-2500m
Snowpack Summary
Around 15cm over the last week, and large amounts of available snow from the previous storms, has been redistributed by strong winds from variable directions to build slabs and wind effect in open areas. A persistent slab sitting on three weak layers down 50 to 80cm can be found throughout the forecast region and has produced many large avalanches.
Weather Forecast
Light north winds will continue as will the cold temperatures with alpine lows near -25C and daily highs near -18C. While no snow is expected for most of the week, a fair amount of cloud can be expected for the period.
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A stiff slab 50 to 90cm thick, sits over sun crusts on south and west aspects, Surface Hoar preserved at, and just above treeline and weak faceted crystals lurking in shallow snowpack features. This is a dangerous problem that is difficult to avoid.