Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 10th, 2026–Mar 11th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

The natural avalanche cycle has mostly subsided, but human triggering is likely, especially at upper elevations. Conservative route selection is advised.

Confidence

Avalanche Summary

Several loose dry avalanches in steep terrain up to size 1 occurred today. Naturally triggered slab avalanche activity occurred throughout the Spray Valley up to size 2.5 on Monday.

Snowpack Summary

Recent storm snow of up to 40cm at 2400m remains low density at lower elevations, but wind effected at TL and above. This snow sits on a thick and supportive melt-freeze below 2200m and a sun crust on solar aspects up to at least 2400m. Wind slabs become prevalent almost immediately after climbing above 2400m, and some cracking underfoot has been observed over the last couple of days. These fresh wind slabs overlie old wind slabs in some of the terrain, so it is worth digging down and checking for the various potential failure planes. The mid and lower snowpack remains well settled, dense and strong - an unusual treat for the Rockies!

Weather Summary

Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with temps near -9C. Moderate to strong SW winds are expected. Another 5cm of snow are possible through the day.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind-exposed terrain.
Avoid steep terrain, including convex rolls, or areas with a thin, rocky, or variable snowpack.
Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
Be careful with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.

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.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.