Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Spring skiing in January: Whistler avalanche advisory as of Wednesday, Jan. 19

Good riding will likely be had this weekend, but approaching this time of uncertainty with some skepticism will ensure a safe day, say Avalanche Canada forecasters
Backcountry skiing uphill in Whistler BC
with warm, sunny weather is expected in the Sea to Sky this weekend, avalanche forecasters advise backcountry travellers to start their days conservatively.

Are you ready for spring skiing in January? Probably not, but it may feel that way this weekend. Weather forecasts are suggesting sunny skies and freezing levels to the mountain tops. There’s definitely uncertainty in what this dramatic warming will do to the snowpack.

Our highest confidence is that the warming will weaken cornices, which have grown large over the past few weeks of storms. It is also possible that the warming will affect the recent storm snow in one way or another. The most suspect slopes will be steep, sun-exposed slopes that will see the brunt of warming when clear skies prevail. Should the snow start to move, resulting avalanches could be large and they have the possibility of triggering buried weak layers. Keep in mind that wind slabs may also linger into the weekend on steep, lee terrain features, meaning it may be possible to trigger an avalanche on any aspect.

Given the uncertainty with what the warming will do, the best way to have a safe day is to start out conservatively. Avoid succumbing to blue sky syndrome and assess how the snow is being affected during your travels. If you are finding moist or wet snow, back off and dial back your objectives. Look around for signs of instability, such as avalanches in similar terrain features or pinwheeling on steep slopes. If you do make it to a ridgeline, stay well back of cornices, which could become fragile.

Good riding will likely be had this weekend, but approaching this time of uncertainty with some skepticism will ensure a safe day. As always, check out avalanche.ca for the most up-to-date information.