Avalanche Forecast
Kananaskis Country, Alberta Parks
The snowpack is a ways off the typical melt-freeze cycle normally found at this time of year. Still feels like winter out there with lots of good skiing to be found.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded slopes
- Evaluate unsupported slopes critically.
- Avoid freshly wind loaded features.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The March 15th melt-freeze crust, buried 30-50cm on solar aspects, could be an issue on bigger slopes, particularly in the Alpine. Evaluate the snowpack for the presence/absence of this problem layer before committing to a terrain feature.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid steep Southerly aspects.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche activity was observed today.
Snowpack Summary
A few centimetres of fresh snow fell in the past 24 hours. The recent storm snow the we received earlier in the week is settling and beginning to strengthen. Isolated wind slabs are being found in Alpine terrain along ridge crests and gully features but do not extend far down slope. On solar aspects there is a new thin melt freeze crust the developed on Saturday and then the deeper march 15th crust down closer to 50cm. Field tests are showing no results on this crust so far but we are still cautious in bigger south facing terrain. Dig down and evaluate this interface before committing to a feature.
Weather Forecast
Unseasonably cool weather through Thursday will maintain the winter conditions we have been experiencing. Tuesday is expected to be a mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Alpine areas will reach a high of -11 °C with moderate westerly winds. Similar conditions will persist until Friday when a slight warm-up is expected.
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Watch for both surface and near-surface wind slabs in Alpine terrain and just into the upper edge of Treeline. These slabs were formed during a switch from NW wind to SW, so they do exist on multiple aspects.