Turnagain Pass

With very stable and tranquil weather there has been little change in the avalanche conditions for the past couple weeks and we continue to be in a “copy and paste” regime. Weak layers that were buried with up to 5 feet of snow just over two weeks ago have since adjusted to the load. Currently, we are dealing with a few springtime concerns as can be seen in the video below.

Cornices:
Despite the low avalanche danger, there are good sized cornices that continue to “creep” (slow and continuous downhill movement/deformation of the snowcover) causing them to curl over a little more each day. This is also causing them to separate from the ground/ridge underneath creating “cornice crevasses” (which can be a hazard in itself). A cornice failure is – by far – the most dangerous avalanche problem in the backcountry currently. Cornice falls are very hard to predict but we do know they are more likely to calve or fall during the warm part of the day. With that said, always minimize your time under or near cornices by giving them a wide berth.

                        Photo is from the Magnum SW ridgeline with sections of the cornice falling off – full write up HERE.

Loose snow avalanches:
Be on the lookout for unconsolidated surface snow to move when provoked by a snowmachine, skis or snowboard.  These can be dry snow sluffs on Northerly facing slopes or moist/wet snow sluffs on steep south slopes. Though these are likely to be low in volume, this issue does become more pronounced in high consequence terrain.

Snow surface conditions:
Despite the sunny weather, the temperatures have been cold enough that significant warming has yet to impact our area. This has resulted in aspects with a northerly tilt to have several inches of soft re-crystalized powder on the surface – this includes many West and East aspects. Additionally, much of the old hard wind affected snow is being ‘eaten’ away by the faceting process as well. Southerly aspects however are in a melt-freeze regime, with variable sun crusts that soften for a few hours during daytime heating and sunshine.

“Heads Up” conditions in steep terrain:
There are plenty of steep slopes with firm surfaces that require a healthy amount of careful and focused travel.  A fall in steep terrain could result in loss of control of a snowmachine or be difficult for skiers or snowboarders to arrest.  Pay attention to the snow surface and learn how to anticipate surface conditions by the look and texture of the snow before you are on it.