Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Jasper National Park
Good skiing can be found close to treeline on sheltered north facing terrain. Evaluate specific terrain features before committing as we are in a low probability high consequence situation.
Avalanche Problem 1: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Carefully evaluate terrain features by digging and testing on adjacent, safe slopes.
- Avoid steep convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The snowpack in shallow spots requires very little in the way of ambient heat to weaken it to point of triggering. Solar radiation speeds up this process dramatically.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
- Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.
Avalanche Problem 3: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Moderate southerly winds in the alpine continue to build pockets of wind slab. Once triggered, these slabs may trigger deeper releases running far into the valley.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
- Use caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.
Avalanche Summary
No patrol Wednesday. Skiers released a cornice to test Ulr / terminator chute #5 today and released a healthy size 2 avalanche. This is a steep N facing chute dropping into Whistler creek drainage from the backside of Marmot basin.
Snowpack Summary
Wind slabs and wind effect found in all open areas treeline and above. The upper snowpack is a 25 to 80 cm thick slab that sits on three weak FC crust layers in the mid-pack. Depth hoar persists near the ground.
Weather Forecast
Thursday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, trace precipitation, High -3 C, wind southwest:10-25 km/h, freezing level 1900 metres. Friday will be flurries and 9 cm of snow, low -11 C and high -5 C, wind southwest 20 km/h gusting to 50 km/h, freezing level 1600 metres. Saturday will bring sun and flurries, low -6 C and high -3 C.
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Persistent slabs sitting on facets on Northerly aspects continue to show isolated signs of reactivity. Triggering may occur from shallow snowpack areas some distance out.