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The intense storm cycle that has hammered our region with high winds and heavy snowfall during the past week appears to be coming to an end. We received an additional 60cm of snow last night bringing the storm snow total to 292 cm since last Sunday morning. In any wind loaded areas the foot penetration is up to your armpits, with ski penetration to your waist resulting in major wallowing in gentle terrain. Best to stay inbounds until after the storm snow layers have had a chance to settle and gain strength. Watch out for tree wells and stay clear of any terrain traps.
Explosive testing and ski cutting carried out today produced up to size 2.0 avalanches with crown lines varying from 40 to 100cm deep in some wind loaded terrain. Control work was producing avalanche activity in alpine terrain, as well as at and below treeline elevations, with natural avalanche activity also observed to have occurred at all elevations on the Mountain.
There have been no significant weaknesses observed within the snowpack aside from the storm snow instabilities that have been observed throughout the weak. Widespread ?Whumphing? has been felt in some areas with deep accumulation as the weight of the storm snow settled on some softer underlying layers. A melt freeze crust that formed as a result of last Sundays rising freezing levels can be found buried over 100cm down in some areas, while in some wind exposed terrain it remains on the surface. Easy shears were observed today at the interface of last nights snowfall and the underlying softer layer of snow that fell yesterday afternoon. We have been unable to access the glaciers to assess the bond with the summer firn and glacial ice. You can expect it to take some time yet before the widespread crevasses become firmly bridged over. Looking ahead to the near future, we should end up with a good solid homogenous snowpack once the dust settles.
Scattered flurries will persist behind the passing system. A series of weaker systems are expected to arrive over the weekend with more moderate accumulations of snowfall, and freezing levels hovering at or near the valley bottom.
Travel with a partner and be equipped and prepared for self-rescue. Watch out for winch-cats or snowmobile traffic if you re-enter the area after operating hours. Whistler Mtn Snow Safety
Please click the logo to view the Canadian Avalanche Center Bulletins
Every backcountry user should be well prepared and travel with experienced backcountry users. Each member should carry an avalanche transceiver on the 457 KHz frequency and carry equipment for self-rescue.
Our avalanche advisory is updated regularly during the winter season from November through to June. Our hours of operation page has opening and closing dates and times for our winter season. Whistler Mountain's avalanche forecasters post bulletins updating the status and stability of the snow in the backcountry based on snow surveys taken from both within and outside the ski area boundaries.
Be aware that conditions may change and sometimes vary from one slope to the next.
