Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 25th, 2026–Apr 26th, 2026

Alpine

Spring Conditions

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Alpine

Spring Conditions

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Alpine

Spring Conditions

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

An all freeze and no melt situation continues, allowing good travel conditions in the alpine. Watch for pockets of wind slab; they may be reactive to people, solar radiation or additional wind loading.

Confidence

Avalanche Summary

Climbers on the Icefields Parkway Friday reported intense wind transport in the alpine and observed a large avalanche in the Stutfield basin, a wind slab on Mt Wilson, and a serac collapse from below the Normal (Ramp) route on Mt Athabasca which ran for approximately 800m.

Another pair of climbers triggered a small wind slab while approaching the AA Glacier on Friday morning.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 20cm of snow has fallen in the alpine this week and has been redistributed by North winds. Melt-freeze crusts exist on all aspects other than North alpine. The snowpack at treeline and below is wet below a surface crust. High, North slopes have remained cool and have a dry, winter-like snowpack.

Weather Summary

A ridge of high pressure over BC and a low over the prairies are going to leave Jasper with mostly clear weather in the West and center of the park, while the East experiences a little more cloud and unsettled weather.

A trace of new snow on Saturday night. At the Columbia icefields on Sunday, skies will be mostly clear and dry, winds will taper from 30km/h to 10km/h NE, and alpine temperatures will reach -11°C.

Monday

Freezing levels will slowly start to climb starting on Monday, potentially reaching 2900m later this week.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.

Problems

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.