Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 14th, 2026–Apr 15th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Regions

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

Strong winds and new snow will create wind slabs - watch for changing conditions and avoid freshly loaded features.

Cornices have been sensitive to triggering and may collapse with additional snow load.

Confidence

Avalanche Summary

On Monday, our field team observed a new cornice failure near Snowdome.

Saturday's patrol along the Icefields and the Maligne range noted cornice failures of which some are triggering slabs on the slopes below.

Snowpack Summary

Five centimeters of new snow are sitting on preserved dry snow in the high North and a variety of melt forms on solar slopes and at lower elevations. Below 2300m, multiple melt-freeze crusts are layered in the snowpack.

The January 24th layer is buried 80–120 cm deep and remains a lingering concern in the alpine. The lower snowpack is generally well consolidated in deeper areas, while shallow areas remain weaker and more faceted.

Weather Summary

Snowfall on Tuesday night could accumulate 10cm with another 5cm falling through the day on Wednesday. This new snow will come with strong alpine winds, cloudy skies and a freezing level descending to valley bottom. Alpine temperatures will reach -8C . Clouds will break on Thursday while the low-pressure tracks south and cooler air moves in.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
Avoid freshly wind-loaded features, especially near ridge crests, rollovers, and in steep terrain.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

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.