Feb 20-26, 2014 - Special avy warning for B.C.

Got this link in this morning's MCR Digest (see acmg.ca/mcr/ to subscribe):

www.avalanche.ca/uploads/SPAW/SPAW%20Feb%2020.pdf

Seems like the conditions described in B.C. may apply in areas of the Cascades as well. Worth a quick read.

Karl Klassen also has a blog post that's great.

blogs.avalanche.ca/category/forecaster-blog/

Perma-link:
blogs.avalanche.ca/this-beauty-is-only-skin-deep/

Excellent links, thanks Lowell and Charlie. I'd think the CAC analysis is most pertinent to the east side stuff, which is why NWAC is including the persistent deep slab instability problem in forecasts there and keeping the high warning while moving west of the crest to considerable. That said, I'm sure there are some shady N-NE facing aspects on the west side that have dragons lurking... I think a week or two of hippy tree/meadow skipping would do everyone some good. As they've pointed out... some of the stuff up in the alpine might not trigger very easily, but if tickled right, it's game over.

Thanks for posting these links. I had been contemplating a trip to BC (Kootenays) but based on this information even though I am a week out I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. It requires re-formulating in one's mind what is safe and dangerous terrain and I'm not certain I can do that.

The east slope of the Cascades and especially BC have the potential for staying dangerous precisely because the new snow depths are not as great - within the bounds for human triggering and yet great enough to be life threatening. Most human triggered avalanches become less likely with depths greater than 3-4' because overlying new snow gains strength with time and also because it is difficult to transmit energy deeply enough to affect weak layers.

This line stands out in particular:

"Wait. Wait longer than usual before moving onto larger, more aggressive terrain. Some runs might have to wait for a couple of weeks or more. Some might be out for the rest of the season. This is especially important for all you folks in the coastal ranges where you’re used to waiting a few days to let things settle down, then going for it. The snowpack you’ve got out there, especially the south coast, is like nothing many of you have dealt with before. Don’t use your coastie tactics and expect them to work this season. You need to think more like the Interior or even the Rockies guys right now.
"