Today’s Poll

Storm snow creates havoc on highways and in backcountry

Nelson Daily Editor
By Nelson Daily Editor
April 1st, 2011

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily

Neither the backcountry nor some of the West Kootenay’s highways are fit places to be in the next few days.

Avalanche danger in the backcountry has ramped up to considerable and is expected to stay that way until Sunday, and the threat of avalanches and mudslides is interrupting travel on some highways.

Long delays are expected on Highway 3 over the Kootenay Pass as heavy snow has been falling on the nation’s highest all-weather highway.

There may also be delays of up to four hours on the Trans-Canada in both directions 44 kilometres east of Revelstoke.

The only road closed is Highway 23 north of Revelstoke, where a slide four kilometres north of Mica Village has covered the road. Officials say it is unclear when the route will be reopened.

In the backcountry, new snow and wind have set up touchy wind slabs near ridge tops and exposed slopes, with new snow making a poor bond with old variable buried surfaces, the Canadian Avalanche Centre reported.

That means the avalanche danger may rise Friday as skies clear and the sun shines through.

“You may want to consider staying away from sunny slopes and cornices in the afternoon,” said CAC’s Shannon Werner in her report. “Cornice failure could have enough mass to trigger a deeper slab avalanche on the slope below.”

A natural avalanche cycle within the new storm snow occurred up to size two in parts of the region, she said, with explosive control producing slab avalanches up to size 2.5 on southeast slopes.

Up to 30 centimetres of new snow remains dry on northerly aspects at the tree line and above. Moist snow has become apparent on all aspects near 1,800 metres.

Rain has occurred below 1,700 m. Solar aspects continue to go through spring-like melt-freeze cycles. Several buried sun crusts exist in the upper and mid snowpack on solar aspects.

editor@thenelsondaily.com

 

Categories: General

Other News Stories

Opinion