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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 22nd, 2025–Mar 23rd, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

Human-triggered avalanches remain likely.

The persistent slab problem remains a serious concern for all back country travellers.

Avoiding avalanche terrain is recommended.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Over the past two weeks, many avalanches up to size 3.5 have occurred, including human-triggered, remote-triggered, and natural slides. These are all on persistent layers often stepping down to the ground.

On March 18th, a group digging a snowpit in low-angle terrain on Observation Peak felt a whump, triggering 5-6 remote avalanches up to size 2.5.

Skiers had a near miss with a significant slab near SSV Saturday.

Snowpack Summary

Expect surface crusts on solar aspects treeline and below.

Since March 8... 40-90 cm of snow has accumulated and settled into a slab, with the deepest amounts found in the Bow Summit area and along the Wapta. This sits on a very weak, faceted mid and lower snowpack and fails easily in snowpack tests. This condition will be slow to stabilize.

Friday's Bow Summit fracture line profile is attached below.

Weather Summary

Trace amounts of snow will accumulate overnight Saturday as west winds increase to moderate in the alpine. Treeline temperatures drop to near -10C.

Sunday, flurries continue as winds increase to the strong range and the freezing level approaches 1900m.

Watch for rising freezing levels into the week.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
  • Remote triggering is a big concern, be aware of the potential for wide propagations and large, destructive avalanches at all elevations.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.