Backcountry Avalanche Report
Last Avalanche
Report Entered On :
Friday, November 20, 2009 4:15:00 PM Report
Valid For Period Starting :
Saturday, November 21, 2009 until further notice.
This report is for backcountry
terrain only. Skiing conditions for facility areas are not included
in this report.
For current trail conditions please see our
Trail Reports.
| Avalanche Danger Scale | Saturday | Sunday | Monday | | Alpine | Considerable | Considerable | Moderate | | Treeline | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | | Below Treeline | Low | Low | Low |
Discussion:
The new snow that fell through the week has suffered the wrath of the winds and all is not well. Most windward aspects have been stripped bare again and the storm snow has been redistributed into the same gully and bowl features that we have talked about most of the month. South-westerly winds raged through the storm on Thursday and overnight…by Friday morning, all but the most sheltered areas were heavily wind sculpted. Winds were sustained at over 100km/h for several hours. During the day on Friday, the wind flow was predominately from the south and while the AM saw calm to moderate winds, by the afternoon wind speeds were increasing and some snow could be seen blowing along ridgetops.
Mild temperatures are encouraging rapid settlement and strength gains within the storm snow. Field tests on a northerly aspect at treeline identified a soft slab 30+cm thick that failed during testing. Further testing produced a failure at the base of the snowpack where a thin layer of facets is associated with the October crust. These weaknesses will be most susceptible to skier triggering in areas where the snowpack is thin so look to ski on well supported slopes and avoid exposure to steep, loaded slopes.
Recent wind action has obliterated a lot of the evidence of recent slide activity but two signifigant slab releases on northerly aspects in the alpine were observed.
Weather over the next couple of days will see daytime highs rising close to zero with some flurries expected. The mild temperatures will encourage further settlement within the snowpack and new snowfall is not expected to add much in the way of additional loading.
Backcountry Travel Conditions:
In sheltered areas, very good skiing can be found. Open areas are obviously wind affected and ski quality will vary. Travel is easy with ski penetrations generally less than 20cm in untracked terrain. Still a billion buried hazards to concern yourself with – avoid skiing into or over suspicious looking lumps.
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In case you ever need to be rescued someday...click here for important
information:
Accidents happen—sometimes when you least expect
it. A twisted ankle, an unexpected illness, or getting caught
out in severe weather, and can’t make it out of the
backcountry. This is when you need help.
Calling for help:
In any emergency, call the Kananaskis Country Emergency
Services Centre for help. Dial 911 from a pay or cell phone—but
remember that cell phone coverage can be limited in many
locations in Kananaskis.
Tell the dispatcher that it’s an emergency in Kananaskis
Country. The dispatcher will then transfer you to the Kananaskis
Country Emergency Services Centre dispatch who will then
ask you a series of questions to get a better understanding
of your emergency. With satellite phones, dialing 911 may
transfer you to an emergency centre unfamiliar with Kananaskis,
so it’s important to call the local emergency number
of
403-591-7767. No matter how you make your call, you’ll
need to give:
• the
exact location of the emergency
• the nature of the accident and the seriousness of
any injuries
• your name and your call back number
• when the accident occurred
Once you have passed this information to the dispatcher,
a Kananaskis Country Public Safety Specialist will be notified,
and the best course of action will be determined.
On occasion, a helicopter may be used for a backcountry
rescue. The rescue staff in the helicopter are not able
to communicate with persons on the ground—so it’s
imperative that standard visual signals are used to reduce
confusion. Dispatchers will coach you how to make these
signals but knowing them before heading into the backcountry
is valuable.
Know before you go!
No one plans on having a bad day. Plan ahead, be prepared,
take care,
and enjoy the mountains…safely!
—the Kananaskis Country
Public Safety Team
Those on the ground with a satellite phone or with a cell phone
in range are best equipped to remain in communication with dispatch,
to reduce confusion as the helicopter approaches. We encourage
all parties who travel in the backcountry to be fully prepared
and plan to self rescue if the unexpected comes up
Winter
Survival (Click to see or close back)
Avalanche
Terrain Exposure | Backcountry & Ice Climbing (Click to see or close
back)
Important
Notice:
Snowpack structure and stability information
is determined from field analysis specific to snow study plot sites.
Snowpack structure and stability will vary as you travel throughout
mountainous terrain. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the
backcountry traveller to be self-sufficient in being able to perform
self-rescue should you, the traveller, be involved in an accident.
Also, backcountry travellers are responsible for obtaining their
own information concerning current weather conditions, snow, winds,
snowfall, etc. and are responsible for educating themselves to the
best possible awareness level.
|
For
further information:
|
Peter Lougheed
Park Visitor Centre:
403-591-6322 |
| Barrier
Information Visitor Centre:
403-673-3985
|
| |
| Emergency 24/7:
403-591-7767 or 911
|
| See our Avalanche Reports Archive here |
ISSUED BY: bd
To report on conditions
and avalanche observations, or incidents you may observe in Kananaskis
Country please contact Avalanche.Safety@gov.ab.ca
|
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