Avalanche Forecast

Kananaskis Country, Alberta Parks

Date issued

Nov 4, 2017 - 3:00 PM

Valid until

Nov 5, 2017 - 1:00 PM

Prepared by

KESAdmin

It is time to carry avalanche safety gear when heading out into the mountains. Our field observations are limited, but the current avalanche problems deserve attention.

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 Problem 1: Wind Slabs

What Elevation?

Which Slopes?

Chances of Avalanches?

Expected Size?

Watch for wind slabs immediately below ridge-crests and in gully features.

Travel and Terrain Advice

Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.
Be very cautious with gully features.

Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Dry

What Elevation?

Which Slopes?

Chances of Avalanches?

Expected Size?

This will be a problem in steep terrain. Early season ice climbers should watch for sluffing.

Travel and Terrain Advice

Be cautious of sluffing in steep terrain.

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches today, but observations were very limited.

Snowpack Summary

The early season snowpack is still very shallow with lots of buried hazards. Snow depths at 2200m range from 30 to 60cm deep. 10 to 20cm of more recent snow overlies a crust formed in late October. This crust sits about 25cm above the ground and in some areas it is supportive to skier traffic. At higher elevations wind slabs are present and may be sensitive to human triggering in steeper terrain. Watch for these slabs just below ridge crests and in gully features.

Weather Forecast

Sunday will be mostly overcast with cool temps ranging between -17 and -11 Celsius. Winds will be generally light from the SE. Cool temperatures will prevail for at least the start of the 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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