Date issued

Feb 26, 2018 - 4:18 PM

Valid until

Feb 27, 2018 - 4:00 PM

Prepared by

conrad janzen

Sheltered areas have some good skiing and we have not seen much recent avalanche activity...but watch for wind slabs at higher elevations and stay a bit wary of the mid pack surface hoar layers at treeline in Little Yoho.

Regular season
Monday - February 26, 2018
Alpine

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.

Treeline

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.

Below Treeline

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.

Tuesday - February 27, 2018
Alpine

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.

Treeline

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.

Below Treeline

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.

Wednesday - February 28, 2018
Alpine

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.

Treeline

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.

Below Treeline

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.

Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs

What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?

Hard wind slabs exist in lee areas in the alpine. While they may not be very thick or particularly touchy, they certainly have the potential to carry you into an undesirable location (cliffs/terrain traps) if triggered in steep terrain.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
  • Watch for shooting cracks or stiffer feeling snow. Avoid areas that appear wind loaded.

Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs

What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?

A strong upper snowpack overlies three weak layers in the mid snowpack. All are a mix of sun crust, surface hoar and facets depending on location. We have not had any recent avalanche activity on these layers but keep them in mind in large terrain.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Ride large slopes one at a time and spot your partners from safe locations.

Avalanche Summary

Reports of thin wind slabs triggered by ski cutting and explosives in lee areas at the local ski resorts. No other recent avalanche observations in the Little Yoho region.

Snowpack Summary

A few cm of new snow Sunday night. Wind effect in open areas at treeline and above with faceted surface snow below treeline. Three mid-pack weak layers of surface hoar and/or facets are down 100-130cm and gaining strength, but are worth keeping in mind on bigger slopes. Thin snowpack areas are facetting and weakening with the cold temperatures.

Weather Forecast

The forecast is for periods of snow starting on Monday night and continued flurries through Tuesday and Wednesday with total accumulations of up to 10 cm. Temperatures should stay in the -8 to -15 range at treeline and winds will be moderate to strong out of the West, possibly easing off on Wednesday.

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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