Avalanche Conditions Report #3 - Dec 28 2023

Happy New Year! It looks like 2024 is bringing the snow with it!

We're back with a quick Avalanche Conditions Report as we seem to be entering a significant change in the current weather pattern. While AvCan is currently calling the hazard low at all elevations, this is likely to change as the weekend progresses.

The first significant snow started to arrive today and will continue into Saturday. This is coming in with moderate SW winds and will lead to a new storm slab building and sitting on low-density snow over a crust at all elevations. This new slab may become reactive to light loads from skiers or riders. If an avalanche is triggered, it may step down to lower weaknesses in the snowpack and produce larger, more destructive avalanches.

Use extra caution as we see how this new slab will react, stay tuned for the next episode, and be sure to always check Avalanche Canada before heading into the backcountry!

Avalanche Conditions Report #2 - Dec 21, 2023

Welcome to Episode 2 of the 23/24 Avalanche Conditions Report with Jason Wishlow, brought to you by Whitewater Ski Resort, Backcountry Skiing Canada, and State of the Snowpack!

Mild temperatures the past few days have created moist snow all the way up to treeline elevations, with it also suspected in the alpine. This has frozen into a melt freeze crust above 1800m, with the snow below this elevation remaining soft as it has not had a refreeze for 2 nights. The snowpack structure consists of moist snow, crusts, and a couple of surface hoar layers that are not found in all locations. These layers are producing variable results with little slab density found regardless of elevation. 

Early season hazards persist everywhere, but especially below 1700m. That said, we are still hopeful for a turnaround with the potential for the Whitewater area to receive up to 20cm of fresh snow with freezing levels below 1400m by Sunday. Stay tuned for Episode 3 and be sure to always check Avalanche Canada before heading into the backcountry!

Dec 11, 2023 - Snowpack Update Evening Ridge, WH20 Backcountry

• Date: Dec 11, 2023

• Submission: Michael Wigley, CAA 1/CSGA 1

• Location: Evening Ridge, Whitewater Ski Resort Backcountry

• Aspect: E

• Elevation: 2050m 

• HS: 115 cm

Observations: 

👉 The sun was radiant during the day warming the top 5cm on solar aspects (SE-SW). Which formed a sun crust by later afternoon. 

👉 On the surface of polar aspects (E-NW) overnight growth of Surface Hoar (3mm) was found.

👉 The height of snow was 85cm at 1700m and up to 120cm at 2100m. 

Snow Profile Obs:

I dug a snow profile on an East aspect at 2050m, -2C, at around noon with a snowpack of 115cm. 

👉  Found the Dec 6 rain crust down 45cm and was 5cm thick 

👉  Dec1 surface hoar down 60cm. The surface hoar was still well preserved with an average size of 15mm and getting up to 20mm. 

👉 I had no results on an extended column test. 

👉 With a compression test I had a moderate broken result down 35cm with a change in snow density. Also, I had a hard sudden collapse result down 90cm on rounding facets (1-2mm) above the freezing rain crust we had around Nov12. 

Summary: 

I feel the snowpack is bonding well and the Dec 06 rain crust is bridging the upper snowpack and not seeing results on the Dec 01 surface hoar. 

I will still caution and monitor the Dec 01 surface hoar, it’s still well preserved in the snowpack and large in size. The sudden collapse on the rounded facets is also on the back of my mind. The snowpack has strength but it’s still shallow, finding a weak point on an open slope may produce a significant avalanche. Monitor the Dec 06 rain crust, look for the Dec 01 surface hoar, and keep those weak facet layers near the base of the snowpack in the back of your mind. Early season risks are still out there! Watch for terrain traps, open creeks, and partially buried rocks/stumps. 

Always check Avalanche Canada before heading out into the backcountry!

Snowpack Update Dec 7 2023

Surface Hoar

Whumpf/Cracking

90 CM at 1750M

Hello everyone, Judson here to provide you with a silver lining update! 

After the somber mood and disappointment from yesterday, I want to share some silver linings regarding the current state of our mountains and snowpack. I understand that Wishy's SOTS yesterday and Rebeckah's update were a letdown. I thank them for delivering the truth. Sometimes it is hard to take, but I do believe that things change from day to day and today was a much better scene than I anticipated. 

Curiosity got the best of me today, or perhaps I did not have anything else to do (LOL). I went for a tour with KBG guide Kyle Gorenko toward White Queen from Hummingbird.

Firstly, this atmospheric river was unprecedented, as far as I know. I have never seen a storm deliver that much rain in this region since I moved here 25 years ago. That's not to say it has never happened, just not in my experience. 2021 was close, but the difference was the freezing level in 2021 was at 1800m. We just witnessed freezing levels above the mountain tops.

😀I am pleased to report what found I view as good news! I won’t sugarcoat things, but I view my tour today as being very positive. 

Speaking of positives, let’s start there.

SNOWPACK DEPTHS

I was pleasantly surprised by what I found today. The rain turned to snow last night and delivered 20cm of dry snow. The rain did not wash away all the accumulated snow thus far. In fact, above 1750m, I found more snow than before the rain. Below 1700m, not so much. 

• Hummingbird parking = 50cm

• 1750m = 90cm  

• 1950m = 90-110cm

The coverage from what I saw above me looked decent, considering the circumstances.

⚠️Of course, the lower your elevation, the worse it gets. Skiing in the forest, especially below 1750m, is treacherous.

AVALANCHE ACTIVITY

We did not see much due to clouds, but there was some avalanche activity in 5 Mile and Ymir. The activity was limited to loose wet avalanches up to size 2 out of steeper than 40-degree terrain. It wouldn't surprise me if there were slab activities once the skies cleared.

LAYERS

• Early December surface hoar, up to 20mm in size, appears undisturbed despite the rain. It is found down 35-40cm. It's very obvious where present. 

• The entire snowpack was rain-soaked except for the top 20cm. It was like skiing on powder sitting on spring melt freeze.

• We felt many whumpfs and saw cracking under our skis. 

• Other than the December surface hoar, there is not much to see—mostly moist snow with a couple of crusts that will likely become one layer when it dries out.

• I assume there are some wind slabs in the Lee slopes from southerly winds; we did not see any in our travels. 

CHALLENGES

Creeks: The creeks are raging and open. Avoid them until we get more snow, and it freezes up.

Low Snowpack: Especially below 1700m and in the forest, rocks, stumps, randomly riding into an alder patch—all the normal early-season cautions are in play.

OUTLOOK

What does this all mean? I have never seen an event like this. I don't know if it will crust up, or how hard the crust will be, and I don't know if the surface hoar will bond in the moist snow. We do our best to forecast, but there are so many factors at play. Temperature, snowfall amounts, and wind will play a role moving forward.

CONCLUSIONS

Patience is key here. I think that if we get a good dump of snow before Christmas (30-50 cm) there will be excellent conditions.

Judson Wright
Lead Guide/Owner
Kootenay Backcountry Guides

Be sure to always check Avalanche Canada before heading out into the backcountry!

State of the Snowpack Update Dec 6 2023

Welcome to Episode 1 of the 23/24 Avalanche Conditions Report with Jason Wishlow, brought to you by Whitewater Ski Resort, Backcountry Skiing Canada, and the State of the Snowpack Team.

This episode was filmed yesterday (Wednesday, December 6) at the tail end of the atmospheric river which unfortunately produced over 100mm of rain at Whitewater and in the surrounding backcountry.

This event is not unprecedented with the current El Niño cycle, and we still have a whole winter ahead of us to experience far better conditions! However, this rain has created a solid melt-freeze crust which we will continue to watch for the remainder of the season.

Crusts such as this can create a significant bed surface with weak-faceted crystals on top that are prone to create deeper slab avalanches as the snowpack builds and the season progresses. Incoming cooler weather systems are forecast to produce, hopefully, another 30cm of snow by the end of this weekend which will be a great start to healing the damage and getting winter back on track. Stay tuned for Episode 2!

Be sure to always check Avalanche Canada before venturing into the backcountry.

Now is also a great opportunity to take courses, plan trips, tune your gear, and work on your fitness. Practice companion rescues with your friends! Visit Avalanche Canada to find a certified AST Provider nearest you and the courses they have to offer.

State of The Snowpack Update Feb 15 2023

Date: Feb 15 2023
Location: West Arm Provincial Park
Elevation/Aspect: 2000m/East

We would like to start with an apology to our community. We have been absent from our social media as we were very busy in the background working and guiding out of our zone. The weather is providing great travel conditions but remain cautious around older wind slabs that could be sitting on weaker snow. Also pay attention to how the sun might be affecting south aspects at lower elevations. Travel and Terrain Advice Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features. Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Always check Avalanche Canada before heading out into the backcountry! https://avalanche.ca/en/map

Not sure what to do? Where to go? Hire a certified guide or take an AST course from a certified Avalanche Canada Practitioner. https://kootenaybackcountryguides.com/

State of The Snowpack Update Jan 19 2023

Jan 20, 2023 WHITEWATER SKI RESORT
Kutetl, Whitewater Ski Resort Backcountry
Aspect: East
Elevation 2140m

FAT & LOW ANGLE

That's probably going to be the theme for the season. We are avoiding shallow snowpacks, especially those over rocky/unsupported terrain, where these layers are closer to the surface and easier to trigger. There is still good riding out there in low-angle terrain! It looks like hopefully some more fresh snow in the forecast.

#KNOWBEFOREYOUGO

Visit the Avalanche Canada website before heading to the backcountry. https://avalanche.ca/en/map
Be sure to also read the Forecasters Blog for more details about the snowpack and observations in the mountains: https://avalanche.ca/blogs
Explore Avalanche Canada's Trip Planner tool for planning a safe backcountry tour: https://avalanche.ca/planning/trip-pl...

LIVE State of the Snowpack - Dec 20, 2022

The State of the Snowpack is a free monthly speaker series, led by local snow science experts, who break down and share as-local-as-it-gets analysis of what they are seeing in our Kootenay snowpack, so that we can all make our most-informed decisions in the backcountry.

State Of The Snowpack Update - Nov 26 2022

Date: November 26, 2022
Where: Whitewater Ski Resort Backcountry
Aspect + Elevation: South/1800m

This is an update to our Nov 24 snowpack update and wanted to highlight some exciting results we noticed. First Day of an AST-1 course. Good news/bad news: the riding was half decent but, unfortunately, there's up to 20mm surface hoar buried down 27cm, which lays on top of a crust. Uncertain about the presence of the weak layer at higher elevations.

We did an extended column test that resulted in differences from the north aspect. The surface hoar we noticed was 20mm (2 cm) in size! This surface hoar is sitting directly on the early November crust. It is down anywhere 25-30 cm. We then performed an extended column test it failed on the fifth tap.
As this next storm comes in we need to be on the lookout for those steep and smooth slopes. During this next storm cycle, let's stick to lower-angled terrain.

The key takeaway from this snowpack is to take it easy. Even though it is early season these crust/surface hoar layers will be able to produce avalanches in specific areas (steep, open, and smooth terrain at treeline and above). The forecast calls for significant snowfall this week, which could cause reactions on these two layers. Let's play it safe while early-season hazards exist, remember, we've got the entire season ahead of us to get after it!

If you are going to the Whiteware area please note there are still a significant amount of trees down in some areas from a wind event in early November and some are buried just below the surface.

READ THE FULL MIN REPORT AT AVALANCHE CANADA

State Of The Snowpack Update Nov 22 2022

Date: November 24, 2022
Where: Whitewater Ski Resort Backcountry
Aspect + Elevation: NW/1980m

GOOD NEWS! The snowpack is building and backcountry skiers have been out skiing powder in areas of smooth ground cover. We are at a normal season average for snowpack depth between 70-100cm at Treeline.

There are two notable layers buried in the snowpack, which we will be monitoring for the next while. The first is a large surface hoar layer that formed during the cold clear days in mid-November. The surface hoar is about 10mm-15mm (1cm-1.5cm) and is buried 15-25cm below the most recent storm.

10cm below the surface hoar is a crust that formed in early November during a warm spell. This layer is about 1cm thick and very hard. The good news is that it has provided us with a more solid base that allows for decent travel and ski conditions. The not-so-good news is there is a faceted layer on top of the crust.

Both the surface hoar layer and the crust layer will be capable of producing avalanches in areas where there is enough snow on top of them to slide.

The key takeaway from this snowpack is to take it easy. Even though it is early season these crust/surface hoar layers will be able to produce avalanches in specific areas (steep, open and smooth terrain at treeline and above). The forecast is calling for more snow this weekend, which could cause reactions on these two layers. Let’s play it safe while early-season hazards exist, remember, we’ve got the entire season ahead of us to get after it!

If you are going to the Whitewater area please note there are still a significant amount of trees down in some areas from a wind event in early November and some are buried just below the surface.

State of the Snowpack Update Feb 1 2022

Date: Feb 1, 2022
Location: Five Mile Basin

PRAISE ULLR FOR THE RESET! Whitewater Ski Resort has reported 24 cm in 28 hours, some places North of Kootenay Lake received up to 40 cm!! The wind came in strong Monday afternoon creating some wind slab and wind-scoured areas. Our main concern in the snowpack is surface hoar and where it is sitting on the melt-freeze crust.

Avalanche Canada has forecasted (Wednesday, Feb 2, 2022):
Alpine - Considerable
Treeline - Moderate
Below Treeline - Low

-Expect fresh wind slabs to form as westerly winds strengthen, navigate carefully around wind-loaded terrain features and ridgelines.
-Approach sheltered slopes at treeline and below carefully, buried surface hoar may produce larger avalanches than you expect.

Travel and Terrain Advice:
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
- Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
- Approach steep open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, buried surface hoar may exist.