Avalanche Forecast
South Rockies
Reactive wind slabs may exist at upper elevations and could step down to deeper weak layers possibly triggering a large avalanche. Use a conservative approach and terrain selection as the snowpack remains variable in the region.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, and shooting cracks.
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
There are several crusts now buried within the snowpack. Use extra caution in thin snowpack areas where it may be possible to trigger a deeper layer. Triggering a wind slab may also have the potential to step-down to a deeper layer.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- If triggered wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
- Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported from this region. There is potential for triggering wind slabs on leeward slopes and dry loose avalanches from steeper terrain features. Smaller avalanches may step down and trigger larger avalanches on buried weak layers deeper in the snowpack. Please submit your observations this weekend to the Mountain Information Network.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack remains highly variable with very little information regarding snowpack structure within the region. Average snowpack depths at upper elevations range from 60-110 cm with scoured snow surfaces on southwesterly slopes and deeper pockets of wind slab on northeasterly slopes. Below the surface exists a series of crusts that were buried near the end of November approximately 40 cm and 70 cm down. Deeper in the snowpack a third crust from the end of October exists as a "facet/crust" combo and has been identified as a potential sliding interface where snowpack testing North of the region (Kananaskis Country) is proving hard but sudden collapse results.
Weather Forecast
Sunday: Mix of sun and cloud with convective flurries. Ridgetop winds light from the North. Alpine temperatures near -12 and freezing levels 1100 m and dropping to valley bottom overnight.
Monday: Sunny. Ridgetop winds light from the North West. Alpine temperatures near -10 and freezing levels at valley bottom.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Ridgetop winds light from the North West. Alpine temperatures near -10 and freezing levels near valley bottom.
Temperature inversions may exist through next week. Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for more detail.
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Stiff wind slabs could be reactive to rider triggers at treeline and in the alpine on leeward and cross-loaded slopes.