Backcountry Advisory

As of Wednesday, Dec. 7

Alpine:

MODERATE

Treeline:

LOW

Below Treeline:

Below threshold

Travel Advisory:

The snow cover in the alpine is highly variable. There are areas of windslab on all aspects. Some areas have stiff redistributed windslabs on a hard crust from Nov. 25 that have been reactive to skiers. Be aware of early season hazards in the backcountry such as barely covered rocks, holes, bergshrunds and crevasses.

Avalanche Activity:

Low density surface layers have been redistributed by wind, forming areas of slab. Some of these slabs have been observed to be reactive to a skier or boarder. Where slabs have propagated they have been limited to small size 1 avalanches.

Snowpack:

There is significant variability in the snowpack on the south coast right now. The surface is comprised of windslabs, scoured crusts and some remaining pockets of low density loose snow. The windslabs have been redistributed by variable winds from most points on the compass and consequently the slabs are unpredictable. Below the surface the mid pack reaches down about 0.5 metres and has become facetted over the past period of cool temperatures. The facetting was accelerated around buried crusts forming some areas of more advanced facets. The lower snowpack in most areas is tight. Cornices have started to grow despite the lack of significant weather systems.

Weather:

A ridge of high pressure will sit over us for the next few days bringing a mix of sun and cloud with little chance of precipitation. Inverted temperatures are expected during the next few days as well.

— Blackcomb Snow Safety