Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks
The ski quality has improved but the chance of triggering a loose dry avalanche has increased.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Dry
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- The volume of sluffing could knock you over; choose your climb carefully and belay when exposed.
- On steep slopes, pull over periodically or cut into a new line to manage sluffing.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
So far these are small in size as they are just forming, but most wind slabs formed will be lying over facets and may run far.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.
Avalanche Summary
Loose dry avalanche's continue to be the main type of activity in the forecast region, ranging in size1-1.5 with a few to size 2. Most observations reported initiation from extreme terrain, running far into the tracks. These avalanches are easy to initiate in steep terrain and can be very hazardous in confined spaces like gullies or terrain traps.
Snowpack Summary
15-40cm of recent snow overlies a thick layer of facets formed earlier in Dec. Below this the Dec.15 layer of surface hoar (below 2100m) and hard surfaces or facets (depending on location) is down 30-50cm. Below is a generally supportive snow pack with multiple crusts, that is slowly weakening. Some alpine wind slab formation starting to happen.
Weather Forecast
The cold snap is coming to an end. Temperatures will begin to warm on Monday, with freezing levels by mid week forecasted to reach 1800m. Winds are expected to increase with values in the moderate to strong range Monday.
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The cold temperatures have facetted the surface snow, and once initiated these sluffs can pick up mass and travel far. A heads up for big sluffs if you are climbing in gullies with steep terrain above, or skiing steep lines.