Date issued

Apr 12, 2018 - 4:00 PM

Valid until

Apr 13, 2018 - 4:00 PM

Prepared by

garth lemke

Good skiing can be found close to treeline on sheltered north facing terrain as winter conditions persist. Evaluate specific terrain features before committing as we are in a low probability high consequence situation.

Regular season
Friday - April 13, 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

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.

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 - April 14, 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

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.

Sunday - April 15, 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

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.

Avalanche Problem 1: Persistent Slabs

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

Persistent slabs sitting on facets on Northerly aspects continue to show sporadic signs of reactivity. The slab sits on buried temperature crusts on South aspects. Triggering may occur from shallow snowpack areas some distance out.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Avoid steep convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
  • Carefully evaluate terrain features by digging and testing on adjacent, safe slopes.

Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs

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

Moderate southerly winds in the alpine continue to build pockets of wind slab. Once triggered, these slabs may trigger deeper releases running far into the valley.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Use caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.
  • If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Avalanche Summary

No patrol Thursday. Skiers released a cornice to test Ulr / terminator chute #5 Wednesday and released a healthy size 2 avalanche. See the MIN report. This is a steep N facing chute dropping into Whistler creek drainage from the backside of Marmot basin. Another group observed sz 2's 48 hours old in Bald hills zone on Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

Wind slabs and wind effect is found in open areas treeline and above. The upper snowpack is a variable 25 to 80 cm thick slab that sits on weak FC crust layers in the mid-pack. Depth hoar persists near the ground.

Weather Forecast

Friday will be flurries and 11 cm of snow, high -6 C, wind southwest 20 km/hr, freezing level 1700m. Saturday will bring flurries, 9cm of snow, low -7 C and high -5 C, Southwest winds 20km/hr gusting 50, freeing level 1800m. Sunday is forecast to be flurries, 10cm of snow, low -8 and high -2 C, light South winds, and freezing level 2100m.

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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