Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Jasper, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.
Merry Christmas from Jasper Visitor Safety Team.
Up to 30 cm of new snow in combination with strong winds and a warming trend are a true test of our weak, faceted, snowpack. When adventuring during this holiday season, be very mindful of these changes and choose your ski lines conservatively.
Travelers and recreationalists should be aware of the potential for intermittent Road Closures on the Icefields Parkway (93N) on Dec 25 or 26th. Check AB511 for live updates.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Few natural small loose dry avalanches have been observed below tree line along the Icefields Parkway corridor on Sunday.Marmot Basin reported several small stiff wind slab avalanches with good propagation on Sunday.
Snowpack Summary
10-20cm of new snow is sitting over a heavily faceted midpack formed during our recent deep freeze. Strong to moderate southwesterly winds creating hard wind slabs in wind prone areas. The bottom of the snowpack is weak and consisting of basal facets with pockets of depth hoar. The snowpack height ranges from 50-120cm. Snowpack is unsupportive at tree line and below.
Weather Summary
MondayFlurries.Accumulation: 11 cm.Alpine temperature: High -1 °C.Ridge wind southwest: 20 km/h gusting to 70 km/h.Freezing level: 1900 metres.
TuesdayCloudy with scattered flurries.Accumulation: 5 cm.Alpine temperature: Low -7 °C, High -2 °C.Ridge wind south: 10-25 km/h.Freezing level: 1600 metres.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Uncertainty is best managed through conservative terrain choices at this time.
- If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
- Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
New snow and intense wind transport has created fresh winds slabs in the alpine and on exposed features at lower elevations. Incremental loading from this building wind slab problem is the first significant test of our weak faceted snowpack. If triggered, wind slabs may step down to our deep persistent slab resulting in large avalanches.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, West, North West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely - Very Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Deep Persistent Slabs
This problem includes our prominent facet surface hoar layer down 30-40cm. The lower snow pack is weak and faceted which may cause avalanches initiating in the mid or upper snowpack to step down to the "deep" layer on or near the ground.
This problem may extend below tree line hazard in isolated, steep, open, slopes.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 3
Loose Dry
Heavily faceted snowpack now has up to 20 cm of snow to overload it. Steep and shallow slopes below tree line are of most concern. Ice climbers should watch out for rocky ledges as the snow may gather volume and momentum on its way down the mountain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2