Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Forecasts are for use by experienced backcountry travelers in uncontrolled sidecountry and backcountry terrain. These forecasts and conditions do not apply to open, in-bounds terrain at ski resorts, which is subject to avalanche control by local resort ski patrol.
Avalanche Rating
Moderate (2)
Buried surface hoar remains a concern on north-facing terrain.
Take the time to dig, identify, and test this layer, as it still needs more time to settle and bond effectively.
More Detail
To get the complete forecast with additional graphics and details, please view the Avalanche Canada Zone forecast provided by Avalanche Canada.
Snowpack Discussion
Surface conditions at higher elevations vary from wind affected surfaces to crusts on south facing slopes. Steep solar aspects are expected to become increasing less cohesive as warm overnight temperatures and daytime highs continue to climb.
A reactive layer of surface hoar on sheltered north facing slopes can be found 30-70 cm deep, at upper treeline and alpine elevations. This layer is present as a crust on south facing slopes.
Several melt freeze crusts can be found throughout the upper snowpack. Weak layers buried in early March, February, and January are now anywhere from 150 cm to 250 cm deep.
Avalanche Activity
Over the weekend a small to large (size 1 to2) Loose wet avalanches where reported with one additional cornice failure observed.
Last weeks avalanche activity on the buried surface hoar layer included naturally triggered slabs to size 3, and human-triggered to size 2, including remote triggers.
These occurred on high elevation north facing slopes in the Selkirks. Reactivity is most notable in wind affected terrain.