Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Akamina, Bull, Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South, Elkford East, Elkford West, Flathead, Lizard, Lizard-Flathead, South Rockies.
It's a great time to get up high in the backcountry. Remember to practice good travel habits, always watch for signs of instability and assess conditions as you go.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanche observations.
If you go out in the backcountry, please consider sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).
Snowpack Summary
A thin crust may exist on the surface at elevations that warmed above zero on Saturday. Previous wind effect is extensive at most elevations in the Alberta Rockies, while specific to open alpine features in the Lizard/Flathead. Old wind slabs may be softening as they age and facet.
The upper snowpack contains a couple of thick, hard crusts buried 10-20 cm and 30-70 cm deep. Below, the midpack is well settled.
The average snow depth at treeline varies widely from 50-130 cm, with the deepest snowpack around the Fernie area. Snow depth tapers rapidly below 1500 meters elevation.
Weather Summary
Sunday night
Mostly cloudy with a trace of new snow, ridgetop wind 20-30 km/h southwest, treeline temperature -5 °C.
Monday
A mix of sun and cloud, ridgetop wind 20 km/h southwest, treeline temperature -3 °C.
Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud, ridgetop wind 20 km/h southwest, treeline temperature -5 °C.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, ridgetop wind 15 km/h southwest, treeline temperature -4 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
- Carefully evaluate bigger terrain features on an individual basis before committing to them.