For those of us who stick to groomed ski trails, the avalanche danger is minimal but there are a few trails where it could happen.
Redearth Creek at 3.7K and 4.7K. Normand also made this observation…“there are some high potential for devastating slides all the way down to the ski trail between km 7.5 and 9, after RE6 going up. There are what appear to be ancestral and only partially overgrown slide paths coming down from the SSW flank of Copper Mountain. “
Moraine Lake road beyond the tracksetting. At 9K there is a warning sign. Pete observed a large avalanche on Wednesday which would have affected anyone going to the lake.
Emerald Lake. I haven’t received an update to know whether the ice is thick enough to avoid the avalanche zone when you start skiing at Emerald Lake.
Tyrwhitt experienced an avalanche in April 2012. The zone is approximately 100 metres past the high point if traveling south which is right at the beginning of the meadows.
Spray River West. I’m not sure of the location, but Chuck posted a photo on his trip report yesterday.
Lake O’Hara Fire Road is not groomed until later this month. It has experienced avalanches in the recent past.
Snowpack Summary from Kananaskis Country
15-20cm of snow has fallen over the past 24hrs in the alpine with associated strong winds. New windslabs are building in all open terrain that are reactive to skier traffic. These windslabs are also failing naturally. As the new snow falls the weak base will continue to be overloaded and we are expecting a natural avalanche cycle to begin over the next 24hrs. Friday will be a good day to avoid avalanche terrain.
Banff National Park public safety indicate on their Facebook page that upwards of 50cm has fallen along the great divide.
About 20 cm new snow at mud lake snow station since Thursday morning. Kananaskis public safety are saying 30-50 in alpine on their Facebook page. So probably close to a foot of new at elk pass. Hopefully some fell at the north end of PLPP.
Lots fell at Pocaterra: I’d say 15cm; 30cm at lookout and down hydroline (indrifted) …and that was mid day! It was squeaky, fine grained -1 degree snow that is great for building furniture.