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Avalanche Bulletin
Glacier National Park
Issued:
Friday, March 12, 2010 08:00Valid Until:
Until Further NoticeBulletin Area:
This bulletin covers the areas adjacent to the Trans Canada Highway corridor in Glacier National Park and the drainages directly accessed from this corridor.Parks Canada strongly recommends that the general public avoid areas where the avalanche danger rating is HIGH or EXTREME. Any travel in these areas should be restricted to Simple terrain or kept within the boundaries of a ski resort.
Large Areas of Glacier National Park Are
CLOSED
For Avalanche Control Using
EXPLOSIVES
For access information visit the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre
Danger Rating: |
Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine | 4-High | 4-High | 4-High | |
| Treeline | 3-Considerable | 4-High | 3-Considerable | |
| Below Treeline | 3-Considerable | 3-Considerable | 3-Considerable |
Synopsis:
Significant changes to the Winter Permit System are now in effect. Before touring in Rogers Pass, get more information here.In the alpine and treeline zones, up to 35cm of new snow overlies a number of surface hoar layers, and in the last 24 hours winds have risen to loading values. This combination will form wind slab conditions in the alpine and at treeline. On solar aspects and at lower elevations this storm snow lies on a crusty surface. Loose snow avalanches are possible on steeper terrain and are running far and fast.
Unstable snow exists throughout the forecast area due to three touchy surface hoar layers in the upper snowpack. These layers have proved to become very reactive and sensitive to human triggering after small inputs of new snow. Numerous skier triggered avalanches have occurred on these layers since they were buried, predominately on west, north and east aspects in a range from 1700 to 2300m. These layers, down approximately 35cm, 50cm, and 65cm, have shown wide fracture propagations and sensitivity to light triggers.
A fracture line profile was done on a remotely triggered avalanche that occurred Monday on a north aspect at 2100 metres. The failure layer was on surface hoar buried February 10th and was 40 cm deep. Easy to moderate, sudden planar compression test results and a Rutschblock Block score of 3 with the whole block sliding off fast were observed on this layer. Similar test results were also observed on an east aspect at 1900 metres.
Choose conservative terrain and use good travel practices. Be aware that slopes with previous tracks are not immune to avalanches, and fractures lines have the potential to reach back onto lower angle terrain.
Deeper in the snowpack, the Dec 29th surface hoar is now down about 65 to 100cm. Although this persistent weakness has not been responsible for recent avalanche activity, it remains reactive in snowpack stability tests.
Avalanche Activity:
Thursday avalanches were observed up to size 3.0 from steep North and East facing start zones. Some activity to size 3 has already been observed so far this morning from steep North aspects.The concern for human-triggered avalanches on the buried surface hoar layers continues. Monday a field team remotely triggered a size 2.0 avalanche, 40 cm deep that failed on surface hoar. This occurred in an open north facing startzone and pulled back into low angle terrain. Similar events are most likely to occur on north to east aspects at 1700 to 2200 metres.
Ski cuts produced fast sluffing, at a North facing, treeline location on Wednesday. There has also been reports from Balu pass of skier accidental avalanches on the newest surface hoar layer.
Outlook:
Storm clouds have finally arrived, 15cm of new snow fell at Mount Fidelity over night and up to 25 cm of snow is forecast for today and Saturday, with moderate to strong winds out of the South. The snow should end on Sunday as a ridge builds over the southern half of the province.Avalanche danger is rising with the forecast snowfall and wind today.
Travel Conditions:
Moderate trail breaking with 30-45cm ski penetrations in open areas at treeline and above. On sun affected slopes and at below treeline elevations the storm snow covers the icy and crusty old snow surface. JSPast 24 hour weather: |
Rogers Pass (1315m) | Mt. Fidelity (1905m) |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum (ºC) | -0.5 | -5.0 |
| Minimum (ºC) | -4.0 | -8.0 |
| Snowfall (cm) | 11 | 15 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 7.0 | 10.5 |
| Snowpack (cm) | 129 | 243 |
| Wind speed | Moderate (26-40 km/h) | Light (1-25 km/h) |
| Ridgetop wind direction | S | SW |
FOR MORE DETAILS:
Warden Office: (250) 814-5202
Emergency: 1-877-852-3100
24 Hours Recorded Message: (250) 837-6867
Related Link: http://www.avalanche.ca/
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