Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Dec 28 – 29, 2025Avalanche Canada
View on map
Archived · expired 9 months ago

Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map

Highlights

Large natural slab avalanches continue across the region.
Shift to northerly winds will result in reverse loading.
It's a good time to stick to conservative terrain and let the snowpack settle, there are plenty of powder turns in low angle, sheltered terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Ongoing moderate to strong transport redistributing new snow from the past week, resulting in significant loading (and reloading) of lee features across a range of aspects.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Plenty of soft snow is available for loose dry avalanches, especially as moderate to strong winds move snow into gullies and steep features. Ice climbers should watch for overhead hazard, as even small sluffs can have serious consequences.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2.5–4.5

    There have been numerous large avalanches up to size 4 in Jasper this past week. This problem encompasses multiple weak layers of facets, crusts, and basal facets from November and December.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

Very large to large natural slab avalanches running to ground are still being observed in the field. December 27 road patrol down the Icefields Parkways saw several new deep persistent slab avalanches along the corridor.
Local ski resort has been reporting deep persistent slab avalanches set off by light triggers.

Snowpack Summary

Icefields Parkway: About 50 cm of new snow fell last week, with total snow depths of 160–190 cm at TL. The upper snowpack is made up of well-consolidated storm snow from the past two weeks. A Dec facet layer sits ~60 cm above the ground, transitioning to an early-November faceting crust near the base.

Maligne Lake area: Snow depth at TL averages ~1 m and is less consolidated. The Dec facet layer is ~50 cm above the ground and closer to surface.
Widespread wind effect in all regions.

Weather Summary

Sunday
Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Precipitation: Trace. Alpine temperature: High -14 °C. Ridge wind west: 15 km/h.

Monday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Precipitation: Trace. Alpine temperature: Low -14 °C, High -8 °C.
Ridge wind west: 15 km/h.

Tuesday

Cloudy with sunny periods. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: Low -7 °C, High -6 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.

Regions covered