Avalanche Forecast
Kananaskis Country, Alberta Parks
The freezing levels are rising and the overnight lows are climbing. This spring heat will quickly increase the avalanche hazard.
Avoid large slopes with solar aspects.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.
- Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded slopes
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Steep, rocky terrain will hold the sun's heat and cause loose wet avalanches to become a concern by midday. They could be a problem in themselves, but they could also act as a trigger for slabs.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid ice climbs exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects during the middle of the day.
- Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.
Avalanche Problem 3: Deep Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Cornices could start to fail if they see a lot of sun. These kinds of large triggers could cause the deep layers to fail.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
Avalanche Summary
Several loose wet avalanches up to 1.5 on solar aspects.
Several slabs released at all elevations on NE to SE aspects up to size 2
Snowpack Summary
Extensive wind slabs in the alpine that reach down to isolated areas of treeline and cross loaded features. Moist snow on steep solar aspects and on all aspects up to 2200m that are not shaded. Good skiing was still found on shady aspects in the trees.
Weather Forecast
Monday is forecast for another sunny day with the freezing level going up to 2400m. Winds are suppose to be light out of the West. Tuesday and Wednesday will see more warming and the freezing level should reach 2900m.
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Lots of wind slabs in the Alpine and along ridgelines at Treeline. Steep and unsupported terrain should be considered suspect.