Date issued

Jan 3, 2018 - 3:00 PM

Valid until

Jan 4, 2018 - 2:00 PM

Prepared by

matt.mueller

Not a lot of change with the snow despite the warmer weather. Loose surface snow, sluffing and variable wind slab in the alpine are the on the radar as concerns.

Regular season
Thursday - January 4, 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.

Friday - January 5, 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.

Saturday - January 6, 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?

Wind slab conditions are highly variable, including hard slabs, soft slabs and buried slabs. Watch for human-triggerable slabs in steep terrain on all aspects, and take the time to evaluate localized conditions.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.

Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Dry

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

Be cautious in steeper terrain. Increased solar input and warm temperatures will lead to more frequent sluffing on solar aspects. Ice climbers need to be aware of overhead terrain and how it impacts their route.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Avoid ice climbs that are exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects.
  • Be cautious of sluffing in steep terrain.
  • Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.

Avalanche Summary

A few loose dry avalanches may have come down in the last 24 hours, but it is hard to say exactly how old these are. Regardless, most of them were small and in steep alpine terrain. Some minor pinwheeling was noted today.

Snowpack Summary

Surface hoar growth continues with the cold, clear and calm weather. It is not clear yet how widespread this latest surface hoar is. The snowpack has lost a lot of its strength through facetting, especially near the surface. So far none of the crusts or storm interface from last week have woken up, and appear to be hanging in there for the time being. Having said that, it does feel like the the deeper layers could wake up with even a slight change in conditions.

Weather Forecast

The warming trend will continue through tonight and into tomorrow. Overnight lows will be -2 at 2200m. Tomorrow it will hit 0° at 1600m with a mix of sun and cloud. No snow and only light winds are expected.

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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